California Senate vote keeps bullet train alive - latimes.com

California Senate vote keeps bullet train alive - latimes.com: " The state Senate authorized initial funding for California's high-speed rail project, handing a victory to Gov. Jerry Brown and the Obama administration, which have been pushing hard for the first-in-the-nation bullet train.

It is unclear when construction on the largest infrastructure project in the country can begin; the state still needs a series of regulatory approvals to start the first 130 miles of track in the Central Valley. The plan also faces lawsuits by agriculture interests and potential opposition by major freight railroads."

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U.S. added 80,000 jobs in June as economy struggles - The Washington Post

Jobs in the summer of an election starts to make an impression.

U.S. added 80,000 jobs in June as economy struggles - The Washington Post: "During the first quarter of 2012, employers added an average of 226,000 jobs a month, the Labor Department said. But job creation slowed in the second quarter to an average of 75,000 a month — far below the level that is needed to make a dent in the unemployment rate.

The job market seemed to plateau on many fronts in June, as only professional and business services added significant new jobs, while manufacturing — a bright spot in the otherwise tepid recovery — added 11,000 positions. Health care added 13,000 jobs, while most other industries showed little change."

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Roberts ‘Should Be Ashamed’ Over Health-Care Ruling: Trump - US Business News - CNBC

Roberts ‘Should Be Ashamed’ Over Health-Care Ruling: Trump - US Business News - CNBC: "Mitt Romney will benefit from the Supreme Court health-care ruling, though Chief Justice John Roberts should be "ashamed" of his role in the decision, businessman Donald Trump told CNBC."

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Mitt Romney: Individual Mandate 'Is A Tax'

Contradicting his own top campaign adviser, Mitt Romney on Wednesday declared that the individual mandate contained in President Barack Obama's health care law is, indeed, a tax and not a penalty against those who refuse to buy coverage

"I said that I agree with the [Supreme Court']s dissent, and the dissent made it very clear that they felt [the individual mandate] was unconstitutional," Romney said in a released clip of a CBS News interview. "But the dissent lost. It's in the minority. And now the Supreme Court has spoken. And while I agree with the dissent, that's taken over by the fact that the majority of the court said it's a tax, and therefore, it is a tax."

Grandfathers' Stories Inspire Military Service : NPR

Grandfathers' Stories Inspire Military Service : NPR: "A very small percentage of Americans are now serving in the military — fewer than 1 percent. Some are looking for direction. Others are inspired by a sense of patriotism or by a family member who served in an earlier war. On this Independence Day, we continue with an occasional series, Those Who Serve, a look at the men and women wearing their country's uniform during a time of war."

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U.S. Troops Become American Citizens ... In Kandahar : NPR

U.S. Troops Become American Citizens ... In Kandahar : NPR: "Forty-four soldiers and Marines in Afghanistan are celebrating this Fourth of July as American citizens for the first time after their naturalization ceremony at Kandahar Air Field.

As the morning sun beat down on the desert base last Friday, hundreds gathered inside the air-conditioned assembly hall for the ceremony. American flags lined the walls, patriotic music played, and smiles were everywhere."

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Stated: The Declaration Of Independence : NPR

Stated: The Declaration Of Independence : NPR: "Twenty-four years ago, Morning Edition launched what has become an Independence Day tradition: hosts, reporters, newscasters and commentators reading the Declaration of Independence.

It was 236 years ago this Wednesday that church bells rang out over Philadelphia, as the Continental Congress adopted Thomas Jefferson's draft of the Declaration of Independence.

Below is the original text of the Declaration, alongside photos of the NPR staff members and contributors who performed the reading."

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Vacation Primary: Why Republican Candidates Win the Summer - The Daily Beast

Vacation Primary: Why Republican Candidates Win the Summer - The Daily Beast: "As the heat wave sizzles on, some 30 members of the Romney clan—Mitt, Ann, their five sons, the sons’ wives, and 18 grandkids—are kicking it this week at the family’s lavish summer home on Lake Winnepesaukee in Wolfeboro, N.H. Mitt and Ann bought the 13-acre compound in 1997, and attendance at this annual weeklong retreat has become more or less mandatory. (Running for president is no excuse for skipping.) The days are chock full of recreational delights: swimming, biking, waterskiing, tennis, volleyball, basketball, and an evolving array of athletic competitions known as “the Romney Olympics.” Evenings feature long talks and lots of s’mores."

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Romney Strategy: Pander To Right-Wing Conspriacy Websites

Romney Strategy: Pander To Right-Wing Conspriacy Websites: "In a stunning interview with Breitbart.com, two top advisers to Mitt Romney revealed the campaign’s plan to largely ignore journalists in favor of right-wing conspiracy websites."

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Obama Spanish language ad blitz aims to wrap up Latino vote - POLITICO.com Print View

Viva Obama!

Obama Spanish language ad blitz aims to wrap up Latino vote - POLITICO.com Print View: "President Barack Obama wants to dominate the Latino vote, and his campaign has orchestrated a Spanish-language ad blitz to make it happen.

Obama’s campaign has spent more than $2 million on Spanish-language television and radio ads since mid-April, according to several sources who track media buys.

That’s on top of the $4 million the pro-Obama super PAC Priorities USA Action and the Service Employees International Union have committed to spending through the summer on Spanish TV and radio ads hitting Romney in Colorado, Nevada and Florida.

In contrast, Mitt Romney has spent about $110,000 on Spanish-language ads during the general election, sources say."

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