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Overnight Briefing & General Reality Check - Jul 12, 2012
July 12, 2012
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Political Racket /Dirty Tricks:
Yet another twist in the search for Chicago Congressman JESSE JACKSON, Jr, who's been on a mysterious month-long leave of absence. Right after NBC News reported yesterday that Jackson was being treated in Arizona for alcoholism, his office released a a statement saying, "The congressman is receiving intensive medical treatment at a residential treatment facility for a mood disorder. He is responding positively to treatment."
Earlier yesterday, Jackson's wife SANDI --a Chicago alderwoman-- told the Chicago Tribune, "I'm in constant talks with (doctors) about Jesse's condition and his medical prognosis going forward."
Editor's note: He's also apparently making pretty good progress on building up an alibi, just in case the feds finger him for wanting to buy President Obama's old U-S Senate seat. (Pacelli)Your tax dollars at work:
Stop whining about your doggone taxes. Your 2009 share of federal taxes was the lowest Americans paid in 30 years.
According to a nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office analysis, the average tax rate that year dropped to 17.4 percent. The previous average low since the data series began in 1979 was 2003's 19.4 percent.
The only group whose tax rate went up in 2009 was the top one percent, who saw a slight rise to 28.9 (even though their statutory rate is 36 percent).
The CBO gave two reasons for the drop: Tax cuts introduced by Obama to combat the recession (including the "Making Work Pay" tax credit), and falling income levels caused by the recession.
"Household income fell 12 percent on average from 2007 to 2009," says the Washington Post, "with income among the top 1 percent of earners decreasing by more than a third.
No prizes for guessing which parts of the analysis Democrats and Republicans chose to highlight:
--Democrats: "The facts speak for themselves: Tax rates have never been lower than under President Obama."
--Republicans: "Americans have lost their jobs, seen their wages decline, and fallen into lower tax brackets."
FYI: The 12 percent drop in income from 2007-2009? Someone else was president for two of those three years while Democrats controlled the House during that same period. (Maiman)Idle gossip & unconfirmed rumors:
MARIA SHRIVER wants TAYLOR SWIFT to stay far, far away from her baby boy. Insiders tell the National Enquirer the protective little mama warned the country cutie that her 18-year-old son, PATRICK SCHWARZENEGGER, is off-limits and the two wouldn't be dating anytime soon. Apparently the Kennedy darling is worried T-Swizzle will lead him on, write a song about it, then leave his heart completely shattered.
Young Patrick should recover just fine --he's headed to USC this fall and works as a part-time model. (Lee)Chic Sh*t:
"The Great Gatsby" is the next big movie since "The Hunger Games" that fashion watchers can't wait to see. The LEONARDO DICAPRIO /CAREY MULLIGAN movie celebrating 1920s glamour isn't being released until December. But it has already spawned a slew of Jazz Age era fashion inspirations and beauty tie-ins. The latest: cosmetics brand: Boots Number 7 is releasing a Gatsby-inspired line called Deco Darling. It includes a glitter nail polish set, loose powder, highlighter and eye shadows.The NY Daily News says the collection hits stores in October. (Bartha)
The Reel Deal:
CHEVY CHASE may not be back, but there will be more "Vacation" movies in the future. E! News reports ED HELMS of "The Office" and "The Hangover" fame is in talks to play Rusty Griswold, the son of Clark Griswold, in another National Lampoon Vacation movie.
Rusty was originally played by ANTHONY MICHAEL HALL.
Daily Variety magazine also reports the same guys who wrote the movie, "Horrible Bosses," will write and direct the film. No word on whether Chevy Chase will return --yet.Overheard on Sunset Blvd:
Could you picture RUSSELL CROWE as that neck-biter, Count Dracula? Deadline.com reports director ELI ROTH is in talks to do the film "Harker," about a London detective's obsessive search for the blood-sucking vampire legend. No word on who might play the detective, but Russell has already been selected to play the guy with the extra-long incisors.
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