text:
(CNN) -- President Obama says the new Buffett Rule "is not class warfare," raising once again the question of why he and his party keep rowing back from one of the Democrats' most potent arguments.

They seem to have accepted the Republicans' pejorative definition of economic class warfare as an un-American evil. As Warren Buffet points out, middle-income Americans ought to be protesting a system in which billionaires like him pay a third to a half of the 33% tax rate of Buffet's secretary.

In fact, nonviolent class struggle over income distribution has a long and beneficial history in this country and most other industrial democracies. Starting with the rise of the Populist Party in the late 19th century, continuing into the Progressive Era and the New Deal, grabbing for and getting a bigger slice of the economic pie for wage earners has been a major stabilizing force in American democracy. We are now racing in the direction of income polarization and the political instability that inevitably accompanies the contraction of the middle class and a concentration of wealth within a tiny minority.

Based on the numbers, President Obama ought to be able to win this argument easily. As former President Clinton pointed out in an interview Monday, 10% of the population have taken 90% of the benefits of economic growth. James Carville is probably right that it's time for Obama to fire the White House communications team and carry the economic fight to the Republicans. It could hardly hurt when the voters who are getting their pockets picked are siding with the Republican corporate oligarchs who used to be the Democrats' arch-villains.

In the current journalistic environment only the rich may be greedy without blame, and it is not just Fox, but the mainstream media, as well, that parrots the "class warfare" criticism and puts a negative spin on anything that can be called "populism." For their part, Congressional Democrats seem allergic to their own president's advocacy of a minimally fair tax rate on rich individuals and corporations.

They are also timid about challenging the Republicans on their myth-making propaganda about "job creators." What evidence can House Speaker John Boehner and House Budget Committee Chair Paul Ryan produce that repealing Bush-era tax rates for couples making more than $250,000 and allowing the top marginal tax rates of 33 percent and 35 percent to revert to 36 percent and 39.6 percent next year would prevent corporations and investors from creating jobs?

What can be deduced is that corporations are content to sit on their $2 trillion in cash reserves as long as tax breaks and lax regulations make reinvestment for growth a less attractive alternative. All MBA students are taught "cash is king," and the banks have taken the slogan so seriously they won't even release to credit markets the $2 trillion in bailout funds given them as a gift outright. The job creators aren't creating anything. They're sitting on every tax-free dollar they can while the sitting is good.

So how did we get to this point? Something is clearly wrong with Kansas and the rest of Middle America when it comes to letting economic self-interest guide their voting.

The decline of the labor movement, which was a powerful instrument of economic education for the masses, surely must have something to do with it. Then there is the impact of more than 30 years of conservative distortion of America's economic vocabulary since Ronald Reagan's election in 1980. He showed his party that making vague promises to preserve the "safety net" was smarter politics than tackling the real problems of Social Security disability, private pension funds and indigent health care. By 1984, the Democratic nominee, Walter Mondale, was ridiculed for trying to make campaign themes of "fairness" and "compassion."

This history gives one pause about urging Obama to argue more openly for fairer distribution of income. Certainly if we are in a class war over money, only one side is fighting. Probably not even Reagan, an ex-New Dealer, expected so complete a turnaround on what used to be called "pocketbook issues."

In interviewing a Republican guest, Mitch Daniels, Jon Stewart noted last week that the bottom 50% of the population owns less than 2.5% of the nation's wealth. If that's not the result of class warfare, Stewart wondered, what is? Put that way, the question seemed momentarily to fluster Daniels, as if he had not realized how completely the affluent have triumphed.

Finally, Daniels allowed that maybe some tax fairness could be considered as long as it didn't hurt the job creators. No wonder he got thrown out of the Republican presidential race, given such blatant advocacy of class warfare against the deserving rich.

The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Howell Raines.

text: CNN

text: President

text: Obama

text: says

text: the

text: new

text: Buffett

text: Rule

text: is

text: not

text: class

text: warfare

text: raising

text: once

text: again

text: the

text: question

text: of

text: why

text: he

text: and

text: his

text: party

text: keep

text: rowing

text: back

text: from

text: one

text: of

text: the

text: Democrats

text: most

text: potent

text: arguments

text: They

text: seem

text: to

text: have

text: accepted

text: the

text: Republicans

text: pejorative

text: definition

text: of

text: economic

text: class

text: warfare

text: as

text: an

text: un

text: American

text: evil

text: As

text: Warren

text: Buffet

text: points

text: out

text: middle

text: income

text: Americans

text: ought

text: to

text: be

text: protesting

text: a

text: system

text: in

text: which

text: billionaires

text: like

text: him

text: pay

text: a

text: third

text: to

text: a

text: half

text: of

text: the

text: tax

text: rate

text: of

text: Buffet

text: 's

text: secretary

text: In

text: fact

text: nonviolent

text: class

text: struggle

text: over

text: income

text: distribution

text: has

text: a

text: long

text: and

text: beneficial

text: history

text: in

text: this

text: country

text: and

text: most

text: other

text: industrial

text: democracies

text: Starting

text: with

text: the

text: rise

text: of

text: the

text: Populist

text: Party

text: in

text: the

text: late

text: century

text: continuing

text: into

text: the

text: Progressive

text: Era

text: and

text: the

text: New

text: Deal

text: grabbing

text: for

text: and

text: getting

text: a

text: bigger

text: slice

text: of

text: the

text: economic

text: pie

text: for

text: wage

text: earners

text: has

text: been

text: a

text: major

text: stabilizing

text: force

text: in

text: American

text: democracy

text: We

text: are

text: now

text: racing

text: in

text: the

text: direction

text: of

text: income

text: polarization

text: and

text: the

text: political

text: instability

text: that

text: inevitably

text: accompanies

text: the

text: contraction

text: of

text: the

text: middle

text: class

text: and

text: a

text: concentration

text: of

text: wealth

text: within

text: a

text: tiny

text: minority

text: Based

text: on

text: the

text: numbers

text: President

text: Obama

text: ought

text: to

text: be

text: able

text: to

text: win

text: this

text: argument

text: easily

text: As

text: former

text: President

text: Clinton

text: pointed

text: out

text: in

text: an

text: interview

text: Monday

text: of

text: the

text: population

text: have

text: taken

text: of

text: the

text: benefits

text: of

text: economic

text: growth

text: James

text: Carville

text: is

text: probably

text: right

text: that

text: it

text: 's

text: time

text: for

text: Obama

text: to

text: fire

text: the

text: White

text: House

text: communications

text: team

text: and

text: carry

text: the

text: economic

text: fight

text: to

text: the

text: Republicans

text: It

text: could

text: hardly

text: hurt

text: when

text: the

text: voters

text: who

text: are

text: getting

text: their

text: pockets

text: picked

text: are

text: siding

text: with

text: the

text: Republican

text: corporate

text: oligarchs

text: who

text: used

text: to

text: be

text: the

text: Democrats

text: arch

text: villains

text: In

text: the

text: current

text: journalistic

text: environment

text: only

text: the

text: rich

text: may

text: be

text: greedy

text: without

text: blame

text: and

text: it

text: is

text: not

text: just

text: Fox

text: but

text: the

text: mainstream

text: media

text: as

text: well

text: that

text: parrots

text: the

text: class

text: warfare

text: criticism

text: and

text: puts

text: a

text: negative

text: spin

text: on

text: anything

text: that

text: can

text: be

text: called

text: populism

text: For

text: their

text: part

text: Congressional

text: Democrats

text: seem

text: allergic

text: to

text: their

text: own

text: president

text: 's

text: advocacy

text: of

text: a

text: minimally

text: fair

text: tax

text: rate

text: on

text: rich

text: individuals

text: and

text: corporations

text: They

text: are

text: also

text: timid

text: about

text: challenging

text: the

text: Republicans

text: on

text: their

text: myth

text: making

text: propaganda

text: about

text: job

text: creators

text: What

text: evidence

text: can

text: House

text: Speaker

text: John

text: Boehner

text: and

text: House

text: Budget

text: Committee

text: Chair

text: Paul

text: Ryan

text: produce

text: that

text: repealing

text: Bush

text: era

text: tax

text: rates

text: for

text: couples

text: making

text: more

text: than

text: and

text: allowing

text: the

text: top

text: marginal

text: tax

text: rates

text: of

text: percent

text: and

text: percent

text: to

text: revert

text: to

text: percent

text: and

text: percent

text: next

text: year

text: would

text: prevent

text: corporations

text: and

text: investors

text: from

text: creating

text: jobs

text: What

text: can

text: be

text: deduced

text: is

text: that

text: corporations

text: are

text: content

text: to

text: sit

text: on

text: their

text: trillion

text: in

text: cash

text: reserves

text: as

text: long

text: as

text: tax

text: breaks

text: and

text: lax

text: regulations

text: make

text: reinvestment

text: for

text: growth

text: a

text: less

text: attractive

text: alternative

text: All

text: MBA

text: students

text: are

text: taught

text: cash

text: is

text: king

text: and

text: the

text: banks

text: have

text: taken

text: the

text: slogan

text: so

text: seriously

text: they

text: wo

text: n't

text: even

text: release

text: to

text: credit

text: markets

text: the

text: trillion

text: in

text: bailout

text: funds

text: given

text: them

text: as

text: a

text: gift

text: outright

text: The

text: job

text: creators

text: are

text: n't

text: creating

text: anything

text: They

text: 're

text: sitting

text: on

text: every

text: tax

text: free

text: dollar

text: they

text: can

text: while

text: the

text: sitting

text: is

text: good

text: So

text: how

text: did

text: we

text: get

text: to

text: this

text: point

text: Something

text: is

text: clearly

text: wrong

text: with

text: Kansas

text: and

text: the

text: rest

text: of

text: Middle

text: America

text: when

text: it

text: comes

text: to

text: letting

text: economic

text: self

text: interest

text: guide

text: their

text: voting

text: The

text: decline

text: of

text: the

text: labor

text: movement

text: which

text: was

text: a

text: powerful

text: instrument

text: of

text: economic

text: education

text: for

text: the

text: masses

text: surely

text: must

text: have

text: something

text: to

text: do

text: with

text: it

text: Then

text: there

text: is

text: the

text: impact

text: of

text: more

text: than

text: years

text: of

text: conservative

text: distortion

text: of

text: America

text: 's

text: economic

text: vocabulary

text: since

text: Ronald

text: Reagan

text: 's

text: election

text: in

text: He

text: showed

text: his

text: party

text: that

text: making

text: vague

text: promises

text: to

text: preserve

text: the

text: safety

text: net

text: was

text: smarter

text: politics

text: than

text: tackling

text: the

text: real

text: problems

text: of

text: Social

text: Security

text: disability

text: private

text: pension

text: funds

text: and

text: indigent

text: health

text: care

text: By

text: the

text: Democratic

text: nominee

text: Walter

text: Mondale

text: was

text: ridiculed

text: for

text: trying

text: to

text: make

text: campaign

text: themes

text: of

text: fairness

text: and

text: compassion

text: This

text: history

text: gives

text: one

text: pause

text: about

text: urging

text: Obama

text: to

text: argue

text: more

text: openly

text: for

text: fairer

text: distribution

text: of

text: income

text: Certainly

text: if

text: we

text: are

text: in

text: a

text: class

text: war

text: over

text: money

text: only

text: one

text: side

text: is

text: fighting

text: Probably

text: not

text: even

text: Reagan

text: an

text: ex

text: New

text: Dealer

text: expected

text: so

text: complete

text: a

text: turnaround

text: on

text: what

text: used

text: to

text: be

text: called

text: pocketbook

text: issues

text: In

text: interviewing

text: a

text: Republican

text: guest

text: Mitch

text: Daniels

text: Jon

text: Stewart

text: noted

text: last

text: week

text: that

text: the

text: bottom

text: of

text: the

text: population

text: owns

text: less

text: than

text: of

text: the

text: nation

text: 's

text: wealth

text: If

text: that

text: 's

text: not

text: the

text: result

text: of

text: class

text: warfare

text: Stewart

text: wondered

text: what

text: is

text: Put

text: that

text: way

text: the

text: question

text: seemed

text: momentarily

text: to

text: fluster

text: Daniels

text: as

text: if

text: he

text: had

text: not

text: realized

text: how

text: completely

text: the

text: affluent

text: have

text: triumphed

text: Finally

text: Daniels

text: allowed

text: that

text: maybe

text: some

text: tax

text: fairness

text: could

text: be

text: considered

text: as

text: long

text: as

text: it

text: did

text: n't

text: hurt

text: the

text: job

text: creators

text: No

text: wonder

text: he

text: got

text: thrown

text: out

text: of

text: the

text: Republican

text: presidential

text: race

text: given

text: such

text: blatant

text: advocacy

text: of

text: class

text: warfare

text: against

text: the

text: deserving

text: rich

text: The

text: opinions

text: expressed

text: in

text: this

text: commentary

text: are

text: solely

text: those

text: of

text: Howell

text: Raines

question: Which person says the issue is potent?

answer: President

text: President

question: what is a potent issue

answer: why he and his party keep rowing back from one of the Democrats' most

text: why he and his party keep rowing back from one of the Democrats' most

question: Which party runs from class warefare?

answer: Republicans'

text: Republicans'


text:
Editor's note: Simon Johnson, a former International Monetary Fund chief economist, is a professor at MIT Sloan School of Management and a senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics. Peter Boone is chairman of Effective Intervention, a UK-based charity, and a research associate at the Centre for Economic Performance, London School of Economics. They run http://baselinescenario.com/, a global economy Web site.

Simon Johnson, above, and Peter Boone say the U.S. could be in for a long period of virtually no growth.

(CNN) -- Euphoria returns! Who could have guessed that Bank of America stock would rally 70 percent the week it learns the Feds are demanding new capital equal to nearly half the bank's market capitalization?

The ongoing grim news -- on rising unemployment, continued (albeit slower) economic decline, and ordinary working Americans being hammered on all sides -- is being ignored by stock and commodity markets. Is America now back on track for growth?

The answer to that is almost surely no. Rising stock markets don't necessarily mean a sharp recovery is under way. Consider the case of Japan in its first lost decade of the 1990s.

After falling 63 percent from its peak in late 1989, the Nikkei staged a 32 percent rally in one month. It then remained volatile but around the same level for nearly 10 years -- because the return on assets and capital investors could earn proved so low throughout that economy.

During the 1990s, Japan's banking system was burdened with bad loans that kept eating into profits and its nonfinancial companies had excess capacity that had to be wound down; these problems were made worse by a decline in the working population.

The initial excess of capital, supplemented by high ongoing savings from households and corporations, kept interest rates low. Throughout this period the price/earnings ratio on stocks ranged from 30 to 50 (it's 51 today), compared with 15 to 20 in Europe and the United States. The logic was simple: With so little return available on all assets, local investors were willing to pay up for stocks even if the dividends were a paltry 1-2 percent.

Does this sound familiar? We think so. The current rally in stocks marks one clear success -- the fear of a systemic collapse due to loss of confidence in our financial system has subsided. This is good news, and an important achievement of President Obama's team.

However, our "turning Japanese" phase may just have begun. The "stress tests" that were just completed do not mark the renewed health of our banking system. We still have 22 percent of Americans with houses worth less than their mortgages, and there are parallel problems for commercial property and other sectors.

Many bankruptcies are yet to come. Most publicly traded large homebuilders are deep in debt, yet they are burning cash and waiting to see if -- magically -- the two-year stock of unsold housing can somehow disappear.

We've barely begun to downsize our auto industry, and the parts suppliers and dealers that go along with it, to reflect the lower level of consumer spending and scarcer availability of credit for the future. All of this is also true across much of Europe.

In essence, Europe and the United States both are saddled with zombie banks (which don't really lend), zombie corporations (which don't grow), and a decline in the relative size of the working population (as more people try to retire). This "Japanese" scenario can persist for many years.

The biggest risk now is that the Federal Reserve and the Treasury try to re-leverage our way out of a Japanese-style prolonged recession by flooding the economy with cheap credit -- like they did in 2002, but to an even greater degree.

Cheap government finance for powerful banks is a great cocktail for re-election; running stress tests that weren't really stressful is a good indication this is where policy is heading.

This time the money won't come from consumers (or from China, as it did after 2002); it will be American and European central banks providing funds and our governments running massive budget deficits.

If this is the strategy, the next crisis will be even more traumatic. Budget deficits over 10 percent of Gross Domestic Product and trillions of dollars of new loans to the banks from the Federal Reserve are recipes for hyperinflation and, if the Fed and Treasury don't pull away the punch bowl soon, sharply increasing inflation is very much in the cards.

The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Simon Johnson and Peter Boone.

text: Editor

text: 's

text: note

text: Simon

text: Johnson

text: a

text: former

text: International

text: Monetary

text: Fund

text: chief

text: economist

text: is

text: a

text: professor

text: at

text: MIT

text: Sloan

text: School

text: of

text: Management

text: and

text: a

text: senior

text: fellow

text: at

text: the

text: Peterson

text: Institute

text: for

text: International

text: Economics

text: Peter

text: Boone

text: is

text: chairman

text: of

text: Effective

text: Intervention

text: a

text: UK

text: based

text: charity

text: and

text: a

text: research

text: associate

text: at

text: the

text: Centre

text: for

text: Economic

text: Performance

text: London

text: School

text: of

text: Economics

text: They

text: run

text: a

text: global

text: economy

text: Web

text: site

text: Simon

text: Johnson

text: above

text: and

text: Peter

text: Boone

text: say

text: the

text: U.S.

text: could

text: be

text: in

text: for

text: a

text: long

text: period

text: of

text: virtually

text: no

text: growth

text: CNN

text: Euphoria

text: returns

text: Who

text: could

text: have

text: guessed

text: that

text: Bank

text: of

text: America

text: stock

text: would

text: rally

text: percent

text: the

text: week

text: it

text: learns

text: the

text: Feds

text: are

text: demanding

text: new

text: capital

text: equal

text: to

text: nearly

text: half

text: the

text: bank

text: 's

text: market

text: capitalization

text: The

text: ongoing

text: grim

text: news

text: on

text: rising

text: unemployment

text: continued

text: albeit

text: slower

text: economic

text: decline

text: and

text: ordinary

text: working

text: Americans

text: being

text: hammered

text: on

text: all

text: sides

text: is

text: being

text: ignored

text: by

text: stock

text: and

text: commodity

text: markets

text: Is

text: America

text: now

text: back

text: on

text: track

text: for

text: growth

text: The

text: answer

text: to

text: that

text: is

text: almost

text: surely

text: no

text: Rising

text: stock

text: markets

text: do

text: n't

text: necessarily

text: mean

text: a

text: sharp

text: recovery

text: is

text: under

text: way

text: Consider

text: the

text: case

text: of

text: Japan

text: in

text: its

text: first

text: lost

text: decade

text: of

text: the

text: After

text: falling

text: percent

text: from

text: its

text: peak

text: in

text: late

text: the

text: Nikkei

text: staged

text: a

text: percent

text: rally

text: in

text: one

text: month

text: It

text: then

text: remained

text: volatile

text: but

text: around

text: the

text: same

text: level

text: for

text: nearly

text: years

text: because

text: the

text: return

text: on

text: assets

text: and

text: capital

text: investors

text: could

text: earn

text: proved

text: so

text: low

text: throughout

text: that

text: economy

text: During

text: the

text: Japan

text: 's

text: banking

text: system

text: was

text: burdened

text: with

text: bad

text: loans

text: that

text: kept

text: eating

text: into

text: profits

text: and

text: its

text: nonfinancial

text: companies

text: had

text: excess

text: capacity

text: that

text: had

text: to

text: be

text: wound

text: down

text: these

text: problems

text: were

text: made

text: worse

text: by

text: a

text: decline

text: in

text: the

text: working

text: population

text: The

text: initial

text: excess

text: of

text: capital

text: supplemented

text: by

text: high

text: ongoing

text: savings

text: from

text: households

text: and

text: corporations

text: kept

text: interest

text: rates

text: low

text: Throughout

text: this

text: period

text: the

text: price

text: earnings

text: ratio

text: on

text: stocks

text: ranged

text: from

text: to

text: it

text: 's

text: today

text: compared

text: with

text: to

text: in

text: Europe

text: and

text: the

text: United

text: States

text: The

text: logic

text: was

text: simple

text: With

text: so

text: little

text: return

text: available

text: on

text: all

text: assets

text: local

text: investors

text: were

text: willing

text: to

text: pay

text: up

text: for

text: stocks

text: even

text: if

text: the

text: dividends

text: were

text: a

text: paltry

text: percent

text: Does

text: this

text: sound

text: familiar

text: We

text: think

text: so

text: The

text: current

text: rally

text: in

text: stocks

text: marks

text: one

text: clear

text: success

text: the

text: fear

text: of

text: a

text: systemic

text: collapse

text: due

text: to

text: loss

text: of

text: confidence

text: in

text: our

text: financial

text: system

text: has

text: subsided

text: This

text: is

text: good

text: news

text: and

text: an

text: important

text: achievement

text: of

text: President

text: Obama

text: 's

text: team

text: However

text: our

text: turning

text: Japanese

text: phase

text: may

text: just

text: have

text: begun

text: The

text: stress

text: tests

text: that

text: were

text: just

text: completed

text: do

text: not

text: mark

text: the

text: renewed

text: health

text: of

text: our

text: banking

text: system

text: We

text: still

text: have

text: percent

text: of

text: Americans

text: with

text: houses

text: worth

text: less

text: than

text: their

text: mortgages

text: and

text: there

text: are

text: parallel

text: problems

text: for

text: commercial

text: property

text: and

text: other

text: sectors

text: Many

text: bankruptcies

text: are

text: yet

text: to

text: come

text: Most

text: publicly

text: traded

text: large

text: homebuilders

text: are

text: deep

text: in

text: debt

text: yet

text: they

text: are

text: burning

text: cash

text: and

text: waiting

text: to

text: see

text: if

text: magically

text: the

text: two

text: year

text: stock

text: of

text: unsold

text: housing

text: can

text: somehow

text: disappear

text: We

text: 've

text: barely

text: begun

text: to

text: downsize

text: our

text: auto

text: industry

text: and

text: the

text: parts

text: suppliers

text: and

text: dealers

text: that

text: go

text: along

text: with

text: it

text: to

text: reflect

text: the

text: lower

text: level

text: of

text: consumer

text: spending

text: and

text: scarcer

text: availability

text: of

text: credit

text: for

text: the

text: future

text: All

text: of

text: this

text: is

text: also

text: true

text: across

text: much

text: of

text: Europe

text: In

text: essence

text: Europe

text: and

text: the

text: United

text: States

text: both

text: are

text: saddled

text: with

text: zombie

text: banks

text: which

text: do

text: n't

text: really

text: lend

text: zombie

text: corporations

text: which

text: do

text: n't

text: grow

text: and

text: a

text: decline

text: in

text: the

text: relative

text: size

text: of

text: the

text: working

text: population

text: as

text: more

text: people

text: try

text: to

text: retire

text: This

text: Japanese

text: scenario

text: can

text: persist

text: for

text: many

text: years

text: The

text: biggest

text: risk

text: now

text: is

text: that

text: the

text: Federal

text: Reserve

text: and

text: the

text: Treasury

text: try

text: to

text: re

text: leverage

text: our

text: way

text: out

text: of

text: a

text: Japanese

text: style

text: prolonged

text: recession

text: by

text: flooding

text: the

text: economy

text: with

text: cheap

text: credit

text: like

text: they

text: did

text: in

text: but

text: to

text: an

text: even

text: greater

text: degree

text: Cheap

text: government

text: finance

text: for

text: powerful

text: banks

text: is

text: a

text: great

text: cocktail

text: for

text: re

text: election

text: running

text: stress

text: tests

text: that

text: were

text: n't

text: really

text: stressful

text: is

text: a

text: good

text: indication

text: this

text: is

text: where

text: policy

text: is

text: heading

text: This

text: time

text: the

text: money

text: wo

text: n't

text: come

text: from

text: consumers

text: or

text: from

text: China

text: as

text: it

text: did

text: after

text: it

text: will

text: be

text: American

text: and

text: European

text: central

text: banks

text: providing

text: funds

text: and

text: our

text: governments

text: running

text: massive

text: budget

text: deficits

text: If

text: this

text: is

text: the

text: strategy

text: the

text: next

text: crisis

text: will

text: be

text: even

text: more

text: traumatic

text: Budget

text: deficits

text: over

text: percent

text: of

text: Gross

text: Domestic

text: Product

text: and

text: trillions

text: of

text: dollars

text: of

text: new

text: loans

text: to

text: the

text: banks

text: from

text: the

text: Federal

text: Reserve

text: are

text: recipes

text: for

text: hyperinflation

text: and

text: if

text: the

text: Fed

text: and

text: Treasury

text: do

text: n't

text: pull

text: away

text: the

text: punch

text: bowl

text: soon

text: sharply

text: increasing

text: inflation

text: is

text: very

text: much

text: in

text: the

text: cards

text: The

text: opinions

text: expressed

text: in

text: this

text: commentary

text: are

text: solely

text: those

text: of

text: Simon

text: Johnson

text: and

text: Peter

text: Boone

question: What has been described as zombie?

answer: corporations (which don't grow),

text: corporations (which don't grow),

question: What is a zombie bank?

answer: (which don't really lend),

text: (which don't really lend),

question: Whose economy is suffering?

answer: U.S.

text: U.S.

question: What could the economy be in for a long period?

answer: virtually no growth.

text: virtually no growth.

question: What kind of banks is the article referring to?

answer: of America

text: of America

question: What Is  Johnson, Boone known for?

answer: They run http://baselinescenario.com/,

text: They run http://baselinescenario.com/,

question: Which country's economy suffered with similar problems?

answer: Japan

text: Japan


text:
Los Angeles, California (CNN) -- There's an innocence to Jessica Biel, she says.

The actress, who has starred in "The Illusionist" and "I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry," wanted to tap into her childlike side for "Planet 51," a new animated film about an Earth astronaut who lands on a faraway planet that has much in common with 1950s America -- except for the aliens.

"I love that kind of throwback to a more of innocent time and a simpler time and more conservative," she told CNN. "There's something just kind of attractive about that, those kinds of qualities to me, and I just thought it would be fun."

"Planet 51," which also features the voice work of Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, Justin Long and Gary Oldman, opens Friday. Biel sat down with CNN to talk about the film, the challenges of voice work and the difficulty of finding good roles for actresses. The following is an edited version of the interview.

CNN: Why did you choose to do something animated?

Jessica Biel: I think I chose this part because I'm kind of a kid at heart and I really thought the story was so sweet and fun. ... I wasn't doing anything. I was able to work in town, at home in L.A., which is so rare.

CNN: You could probably wear your pajamas to work.

Biel: Pretty much. Roll in, no hair and makeup. I just always wanted to be a voice in some great movie where some little girl loves my character.

CNN: Did you get to meet [your co-stars] when you were doing the voices?

Biel: I never saw them, never met them. I mean, I know Dwayne, I've known Dwayne for a long time. I met Justin before, but I never saw them once. It was such an interesting experience to be there by yourself kind of going through it. But ... it goes fast. You're there, it's fast, it's fun.

CNN: Who's your character?

Biel: I play Neera, who is this lovely 16-year-old girl. ... She's insecure about boys but also has a sense of confidence for herself, very independent, and is not listening to what the government is saying about this alien [the Earthling] who's landed on her planet.

She is standing up on her own two feet, thinking for herself. ... So she's, you know, she's trying to find out who she is as a woman.

CNN: You do have a strong female character and it's such a good role model for young girls. Is it hard to find that in films today?

Biel: It is. It's very hard. I mean, honestly, it's just rare to find a story about a woman's experience, about a young girl's experience. For some reason nobody wants to make those movies.

And it's really hard because there are so many talented women and there are not enough projects for everybody to really blossom and explore. So it's quite competitive because there's a small amount of material.

CNN: Is it hard for Hollywood to write those kinds of roles?

Biel: I don't know what it is. I'm still trying to decipher that.

text: Los

text: Angeles

text: California

text: CNN

text: There

text: 's

text: an

text: innocence

text: to

text: Jessica

text: Biel

text: she

text: says

text: The

text: actress

text: who

text: has

text: starred

text: in

text: The

text: Illusionist

text: and

text: I

text: Now

text: Pronounce

text: You

text: Chuck

text: and

text: Larry

text: wanted

text: to

text: tap

text: into

text: her

text: childlike

text: side

text: for

text: Planet

text: a

text: new

text: animated

text: film

text: about

text: an

text: Earth

text: astronaut

text: who

text: lands

text: on

text: a

text: faraway

text: planet

text: that

text: has

text: much

text: in

text: common

text: with

text: America

text: except

text: for

text: the

text: aliens

text: I

text: love

text: that

text: kind

text: of

text: throwback

text: to

text: a

text: more

text: of

text: innocent

text: time

text: and

text: a

text: simpler

text: time

text: and

text: more

text: conservative

text: she

text: told

text: CNN

text: There

text: 's

text: something

text: just

text: kind

text: of

text: attractive

text: about

text: that

text: those

text: kinds

text: of

text: qualities

text: to

text: me

text: and

text: I

text: just

text: thought

text: it

text: would

text: be

text: fun

text: Planet

text: which

text: also

text: features

text: the

text: voice

text: work

text: of

text: Dwayne

text: The

text: Rock

text: Johnson

text: Justin

text: Long

text: and

text: Gary

text: Oldman

text: opens

text: Friday

text: Biel

text: sat

text: down

text: with

text: CNN

text: to

text: talk

text: about

text: the

text: film

text: the

text: challenges

text: of

text: voice

text: work

text: and

text: the

text: difficulty

text: of

text: finding

text: good

text: roles

text: for

text: actresses

text: The

text: following

text: is

text: an

text: edited

text: version

text: of

text: the

text: interview

text: CNN

text: Why

text: did

text: you

text: choose

text: to

text: do

text: something

text: animated

text: Jessica

text: Biel

text: I

text: think

text: I

text: chose

text: this

text: part

text: because

text: I

text: 'm

text: kind

text: of

text: a

text: kid

text: at

text: heart

text: and

text: I

text: really

text: thought

text: the

text: story

text: was

text: so

text: sweet

text: and

text: fun

text: I

text: was

text: n't

text: doing

text: anything

text: I

text: was

text: able

text: to

text: work

text: in

text: town

text: at

text: home

text: in

text: L.A.

text: which

text: is

text: so

text: rare

text: CNN

text: You

text: could

text: probably

text: wear

text: your

text: pajamas

text: to

text: work

text: Biel

text: Pretty

text: much

text: Roll

text: in

text: no

text: hair

text: and

text: makeup

text: I

text: just

text: always

text: wanted

text: to

text: be

text: a

text: voice

text: in

text: some

text: great

text: movie

text: where

text: some

text: little

text: girl

text: loves

text: my

text: character

text: CNN

text: Did

text: you

text: get

text: to

text: meet

text: your

text: co

text: stars

text: when

text: you

text: were

text: doing

text: the

text: voices

text: Biel

text: I

text: never

text: saw

text: them

text: never

text: met

text: them

text: I

text: mean

text: I

text: know

text: Dwayne

text: I

text: 've

text: known

text: Dwayne

text: for

text: a

text: long

text: time

text: I

text: met

text: Justin

text: before

text: but

text: I

text: never

text: saw

text: them

text: once

text: It

text: was

text: such

text: an

text: interesting

text: experience

text: to

text: be

text: there

text: by

text: yourself

text: kind

text: of

text: going

text: through

text: it

text: But

text: it

text: goes

text: fast

text: You

text: 're

text: there

text: it

text: 's

text: fast

text: it

text: 's

text: fun

text: CNN

text: Who

text: 's

text: your

text: character

text: Biel

text: I

text: play

text: Neera

text: who

text: is

text: this

text: lovely

text: old

text: girl

text: She

text: 's

text: insecure

text: about

text: boys

text: but

text: also

text: has

text: a

text: sense

text: of

text: confidence

text: for

text: herself

text: very

text: independent

text: and

text: is

text: not

text: listening

text: to

text: what

text: the

text: government

text: is

text: saying

text: about

text: this

text: alien

text: the

text: Earthling

text: who

text: 's

text: landed

text: on

text: her

text: planet

text: She

text: is

text: standing

text: up

text: on

text: her

text: own

text: two

text: feet

text: thinking

text: for

text: herself

text: So

text: she

text: 's

text: you

text: know

text: she

text: 's

text: trying

text: to

text: find

text: out

text: who

text: she

text: is

text: as

text: a

text: woman

text: CNN

text: You

text: do

text: have

text: a

text: strong

text: female

text: character

text: and

text: it

text: 's

text: such

text: a

text: good

text: role

text: model

text: for

text: young

text: girls

text: Is

text: it

text: hard

text: to

text: find

text: that

text: in

text: films

text: today

text: Biel

text: It

text: is

text: It

text: 's

text: very

text: hard

text: I

text: mean

text: honestly

text: it

text: 's

text: just

text: rare

text: to

text: find

text: a

text: story

text: about

text: a

text: woman

text: 's

text: experience

text: about

text: a

text: young

text: girl

text: 's

text: experience

text: For

text: some

text: reason

text: nobody

text: wants

text: to

text: make

text: those

text: movies

text: And

text: it

text: 's

text: really

text: hard

text: because

text: there

text: are

text: so

text: many

text: talented

text: women

text: and

text: there

text: are

text: not

text: enough

text: projects

text: for

text: everybody

text: to

text: really

text: blossom

text: and

text: explore

text: So

text: it

text: 's

text: quite

text: competitive

text: because

text: there

text: 's

text: a

text: small

text: amount

text: of

text: material

text: CNN

text: Is

text: it

text: hard

text: for

text: Hollywood

text: to

text: write

text: those

text: kinds

text: of

text: roles

text: Biel

text: I

text: do

text: n't

text: know

text: what

text: it

text: is

text: I

text: 'm

text: still

text: trying

text: to

text: decipher

text: that

question: What film is Biel voicing?

answer: "Planet 51,"

text: "Planet 51,"

question: What did she want to reflect?

answer: childlike side

text: childlike side

question: What says Biel?

answer: "I love that kind of throwback to a more of innocent time and a simpler time and more conservative,"

text: "I love that kind of throwback to a more of innocent time and a simpler time and more conservative,"


text:
(CNN) -- A terrorist group might be planning attacks on oil tankers in the Strait of Malacca, one of the world's busiest shipping lanes, Singapore's navy warned Thursday.

"The terrorists' intent is probably to achieve widespread publicity and showcase that it remains a viable group," said an advisory issued by the Singapore Navy Information Fusion Centre (IFC).

"However, this information does not preclude possible attacks on other large vessels with dangerous cargo," the advisory said.

The IFC recommended that ships strengthen security measures.

It did not name any groups or indicate how the tip was obtained.

Located between Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore, the Strait of Malacca links the Indian Ocean to the South China Sea and Pacific Ocean and is the shortest sea route between Persian Gulf oil suppliers and Asian markets, according to the U.S. government's Energy Information Administration.

The agency estimates that more than 15 million barrels of oil are transported through the strait every day.

At its narrowest point, the strait is only 1.7 miles wide, which creates a natural bottleneck and makes it vulnerable to terrorist attack.

The IFC warned tanker crews to be on the lookout for smaller vehicles -- including dinghies, sampans and speedboats -- which have been used to launch successful attacks on tankers in the past.

text: CNN

text: A

text: terrorist

text: group

text: might

text: be

text: planning

text: attacks

text: on

text: oil

text: tankers

text: in

text: the

text: Strait

text: of

text: Malacca

text: one

text: of

text: the

text: world

text: 's

text: busiest

text: shipping

text: lanes

text: Singapore

text: 's

text: navy

text: warned

text: Thursday

text: The

text: terrorists

text: intent

text: is

text: probably

text: to

text: achieve

text: widespread

text: publicity

text: and

text: showcase

text: that

text: it

text: remains

text: a

text: viable

text: group

text: said

text: an

text: advisory

text: issued

text: by

text: the

text: Singapore

text: Navy

text: Information

text: Fusion

text: Centre

text: IFC

text: However

text: this

text: information

text: does

text: not

text: preclude

text: possible

text: attacks

text: on

text: other

text: large

text: vessels

text: with

text: dangerous

text: cargo

text: the

text: advisory

text: said

text: The

text: IFC

text: recommended

text: that

text: ships

text: strengthen

text: security

text: measures

text: It

text: did

text: not

text: name

text: any

text: groups

text: or

text: indicate

text: how

text: the

text: tip

text: was

text: obtained

text: Located

text: between

text: Indonesia

text: Malaysia

text: and

text: Singapore

text: the

text: Strait

text: of

text: Malacca

text: links

text: the

text: Indian

text: Ocean

text: to

text: the

text: South

text: China

text: Sea

text: and

text: Pacific

text: Ocean

text: and

text: is

text: the

text: shortest

text: sea

text: route

text: between

text: Persian

text: Gulf

text: oil

text: suppliers

text: and

text: Asian

text: markets

text: according

text: to

text: the

text: U.S.

text: government

text: 's

text: Energy

text: Information

text: Administration

text: The

text: agency

text: estimates

text: that

text: more

text: than

text: million

text: barrels

text: of

text: oil

text: are

text: transported

text: through

text: the

text: strait

text: every

text: day

text: At

text: its

text: narrowest

text: point

text: the

text: strait

text: is

text: only

text: miles

text: wide

text: which

text: creates

text: a

text: natural

text: bottleneck

text: and

text: makes

text: it

text: vulnerable

text: to

text: terrorist

text: attack

text: The

text: IFC

text: warned

text: tanker

text: crews

text: to

text: be

text: on

text: the

text: lookout

text: for

text: smaller

text: vehicles

text: including

text: dinghies

text: sampans

text: and

text: speedboats

text: which

text: have

text: been

text: used

text: to

text: launch

text: successful

text: attacks

text: on

text: tankers

text: in

text: the

text: past

question: Where does the strait of malacca link?

answer: Indian Ocean to the South China Sea and Pacific Ocean

text: Indian Ocean to the South China Sea and Pacific Ocean

question: How many barrels of oil are transported daily?

answer: 15 million

text: 15 million

question: What is the  strait's narrowest point?

answer: 1.7 miles wide,

text: 1.7 miles wide,

question: How many barrels of oil are transported every day?

answer: 15 million

text: 15 million

question: Which oceans does the Strait of Malacca link?

answer: South China Sea

text: South China Sea

question: What makes the strait vulnerable to attack?

answer: a natural bottleneck

text: a natural bottleneck

question: Where is it 1.7 miles wide?

answer: narrowest point,

text: narrowest point,

question: What is linked by the Strait of Malacca?

answer: links the Indian Ocean to the South China Sea and Pacific Ocean

text: links the Indian Ocean to the South China Sea and Pacific Ocean

question: How many barrels are estimated to be transported every day?

answer: 15 million

text: 15 million


text:
Editor's note: President Lyndon B. Johnson secured passage of Medicare, the Voting Rights Act and other milestone legislation. Tom Johnson, who served as one of LBJ's White House press secretaries, is former chief executive of CNN News Group and former publisher of the Los Angeles Times. He is an associate member of the board of visitors of the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center.

Tom Johnson says President Lyndon Johnson would have used every tool to get Congress to pass a health care bill.

(CNN) -- LBJ would:

Have a list of every member of Congress on his desk.

He would be on the telephone with members (and their key staffers) constantly: "Your president really needs your vote on this bill."

He would have a list of every special request every member wanted -- from White House tours to appointments to federal jobs and commissions.

He would make a phone call or have a personal visit with every member -- individually or in a group. Charts, graphs, coffee. They would get the "Johnson Treatment" as nobody else could give it.

He would have a willingness to horse-trade with every member.

He would keep a list of people who support each member financially. A call to each to tell them to get the vote of that representative.

He would have Billy Graham calling Baptists, Cardinal Cushing calling Catholics, Dr. Martin Luther King calling blacks, Henry Gonzales calling Hispanics, Henry Ford and David Rockefeller calling Republicans.

He would get Jack Valenti to call the Pope if it would help.

He would have speeches written for members for the Congressional Record and hometown newspapers.

He would use up White House liquor having nightcaps with the leaders and key members of BOTH parties.

Each of them would take home cufflinks, watches, signed photos, and perhaps even a pledge to come raise money for their next election.

He would be sending gifts to children and grandchildren of members.

He would walk around the South Lawn with reporters telling them why this was important to their own families.

He would send every aide in the White House to see every member of the House and Senate. He would send me to see Sen. Richard Russell and Rep. Carl Vinson because I am a Georgian.

He would call media executives Kay Graham, Frank Stanton, Robert Kintner, and the heads of every network.

He would go to pray at six different churches.

He would do newspaper, radio and TV interviews -- especially with Merriman Smith, Hugh Sidey, Sid Davis, Forrest Boyd, Ray Scherer, Helen Thomas, Marianne Means, Walter Cronkite, Phil Potter, Bob Novak.

He would threaten, cajole, flirt, flatter, hug -- and get the health care bill passed.

The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Tom Johnson.

text: Editor

text: 's

text: note

text: President

text: Lyndon

text: B.

text: Johnson

text: secured

text: passage

text: of

text: Medicare

text: the

text: Voting

text: Rights

text: Act

text: and

text: other

text: milestone

text: legislation

text: Tom

text: Johnson

text: who

text: served

text: as

text: one

text: of

text: LBJ

text: 's

text: White

text: House

text: press

text: secretaries

text: is

text: former

text: chief

text: executive

text: of

text: CNN

text: News

text: Group

text: and

text: former

text: publisher

text: of

text: the

text: Los

text: Angeles

text: Times

text: He

text: is

text: an

text: associate

text: member

text: of

text: the

text: board

text: of

text: visitors

text: of

text: the

text: University

text: of

text: Texas

text: M.D.

text: Anderson

text: Cancer

text: Center

text: Tom

text: Johnson

text: says

text: President

text: Lyndon

text: Johnson

text: would

text: have

text: used

text: every

text: tool

text: to

text: get

text: Congress

text: to

text: pass

text: a

text: health

text: care

text: bill

text: CNN

text: LBJ

text: would

text: Have

text: a

text: list

text: of

text: every

text: member

text: of

text: Congress

text: on

text: his

text: desk

text: He

text: would

text: be

text: on

text: the

text: telephone

text: with

text: members

text: and

text: their

text: key

text: staffers

text: constantly

text: Your

text: president

text: really

text: needs

text: your

text: vote

text: on

text: this

text: bill

text: He

text: would

text: have

text: a

text: list

text: of

text: every

text: special

text: request

text: every

text: member

text: wanted

text: from

text: White

text: House

text: tours

text: to

text: appointments

text: to

text: federal

text: jobs

text: and

text: commissions

text: He

text: would

text: make

text: a

text: phone

text: call

text: or

text: have

text: a

text: personal

text: visit

text: with

text: every

text: member

text: individually

text: or

text: in

text: a

text: group

text: Charts

text: graphs

text: coffee

text: They

text: would

text: get

text: the

text: Johnson

text: Treatment

text: as

text: nobody

text: else

text: could

text: give

text: it

text: He

text: would

text: have

text: a

text: willingness

text: to

text: horse

text: trade

text: with

text: every

text: member

text: He

text: would

text: keep

text: a

text: list

text: of

text: people

text: who

text: support

text: each

text: member

text: financially

text: A

text: call

text: to

text: each

text: to

text: tell

text: them

text: to

text: get

text: the

text: vote

text: of

text: that

text: representative

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text: have

text: Billy

text: Graham

text: calling

text: Baptists

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text: calling

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text: Martin

text: Luther

text: King

text: calling

text: blacks

text: Henry

text: Gonzales

text: calling

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text: Henry

text: Ford

text: and

text: David

text: Rockefeller

text: calling

text: Republicans

text: He

text: would

text: get

text: Jack

text: Valenti

text: to

text: call

text: the

text: Pope

text: if

text: it

text: would

text: help

text: He

text: would

text: have

text: speeches

text: written

text: for

text: members

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text: the

text: Congressional

text: Record

text: and

text: hometown

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text: He

text: would

text: use

text: up

text: White

text: House

text: liquor

text: having

text: nightcaps

text: with

text: the

text: leaders

text: and

text: key

text: members

text: of

text: BOTH

text: parties

text: Each

text: of

text: them

text: would

text: take

text: home

text: cufflinks

text: watches

text: signed

text: photos

text: and

text: perhaps

text: even

text: a

text: pledge

text: to

text: come

text: raise

text: money

text: for

text: their

text: next

text: election

text: He

text: would

text: be

text: sending

text: gifts

text: to

text: children

text: and

text: grandchildren

text: of

text: members

text: He

text: would

text: walk

text: around

text: the

text: South

text: Lawn

text: with

text: reporters

text: telling

text: them

text: why

text: this

text: was

text: important

text: to

text: their

text: own

text: families

text: He

text: would

text: send

text: every

text: aide

text: in

text: the

text: White

text: House

text: to

text: see

text: every

text: member

text: of

text: the

text: House

text: and

text: Senate

text: He

text: would

text: send

text: me

text: to

text: see

text: Sen.

text: Richard

text: Russell

text: and

text: Rep.

text: Carl

text: Vinson

text: because

text: I

text: am

text: a

text: Georgian

text: He

text: would

text: call

text: media

text: executives

text: Kay

text: Graham

text: Frank

text: Stanton

text: Robert

text: Kintner

text: and

text: the

text: heads

text: of

text: every

text: network

text: He

text: would

text: go

text: to

text: pray

text: at

text: six

text: different

text: churches

text: He

text: would

text: do

text: newspaper

text: radio

text: and

text: TV

text: interviews

text: especially

text: with

text: Merriman

text: Smith

text: Hugh

text: Sidey

text: Sid

text: Davis

text: Forrest

text: Boyd

text: Ray

text: Scherer

text: Helen

text: Thomas

text: Marianne

text: Means

text: Walter

text: Cronkite

text: Phil

text: Potter

text: Bob

text: Novak

text: He

text: would

text: threaten

text: cajole

text: flirt

text: flatter

text: hug

text: and

text: get

text: the

text: health

text: care

text: bill

text: passed

text: The

text: opinions

text: expressed

text: in

text: this

text: commentary

text: are

text: solely

text: those

text: of

text: Tom

text: Johnson

question: what would Lyndon Johnson have used to pressure legislators?

answer: every tool

text: every tool

question: what would Lyndon Johnson gained by granting lawmakers' special request?

answer: to pass a health care bill.

text: to pass a health care bill.

question: What did Tom Johnson say about Lyndon Johnson?

answer: would have used every tool to get Congress to pass a health care bill.

text: would have used every tool to get Congress to pass a health care bill.

question: what does Tom johnson says about Lyndon johnson?

answer: would have used every tool to get Congress to pass a health care bill.

text: would have used every tool to get Congress to pass a health care bill.


text:
(Entertainment Weekly) -- The Disney family film update, "Race to Witch Mountain," won the weekend box office in fine fashion, grossing $25 million according to Sunday's estimates from Media by Numbers.

"Race to Witch Mountain" won the weekend box office in fine fashion, grossing $25 million.

That's the second best opening ever for a movie fronted by Dwayne Johnson alone, trailing only the first feature that starred the artist formerly known as The Rock, "The Scorpion King," which banked $36.1 million in its 2002 debut.

"Race to Witch Mountain's" take was in line with expectations and garnered an okay CinemaScore grade of B+ from an audience that was 60 percent female. It should stay strong at the box office at least until "Monsters vs. Aliens" opens in two weeks.

Also in "Race to Witch Mountain's" favor: weak competition from reigning champ "Watchmen" (No. 2), which dropped a hefty 67 percent from its big opening last weekend to gross $18.1 million. Zack Snyder's adaptation of Alan Moore's landmark superhero saga is clearly slowing down, although it has grossed $86 million in 10 days.

Freshman fright flick "The Last House on the Left" was next at No. 3, with an anticipated $14.7 million. That's a decent sum for a horror movie that had the added benefit of opening on "Friday the 13th;" indeed, it's in line with what most scary remakes tend to bring in on their first weekends. Thus, you can expect this film (which got a so-so B CinemaScore review) to fall off the map after this frame, since that's also what most horror movies do.

"Taken" (No. 4 with $6.7 million) remained in the top five well into its second month at the multiplex.

Tyler Perry's "Madea Goes to Jail" came in at No. 5 with $5.1 million. And the weekend's other new wide release, the Playboy-centric comedy "Miss March," grossed an unsexy $2.3 million way down at No. 10.

Meanwhile, the limited indie release "Sunshine Cleaning," starring Emily Blunt and Amy Adams, scored the highest opening-weekend per-theater average thus far in 2009, dusting up a stellar average of $53,500 in four theaters in New York and Los Angeles.

Overall, the box office was a little on the sluggish side, dropping nearly 17 percent from the same frame a year ago, when "Dr. Seuss' Horton Hears a Who!" was the big winner. Still, this is just the first "down" weekend in more than a month, which is comforting.

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question: How much did Watchmen drop

answer: 67 percent

text: 67 percent

question: Who fronted the movie

answer: Dwayne Johnson

text: Dwayne Johnson

question: What movie was number 3

answer: "The Last House on the Left"

text: "The Last House on the Left"

question: What came in No. 3?

answer: "The Last House on the Left"

text: "The Last House on the Left"


text:
(CNN) -- Rutgers University has suspended a sorority after police charged six of its members in a hazing investigation.

The North Carolina-based headquarters of the Sigma Gamma Rho sorority also suspended the chapter at Rutgers, in New Brunswick, New Jersey.

That means the sorority has ceased to be officially recognized and can accept no new recruits while the investigation is under way.

Police have charged six sorority members with aggravated hazing, which a police spokesman Friday called a possible "indictable offense."

Rutgers Police Lt. Richard Dinan said the six women were taken to the Middlesex County Adult Correctional Facility, and bail was set at $1,500 for each. At least four of the woman have posted bail, he said.

He declined to give details of the alleged hazing, but said one woman sought medical attention for non-life-threatening injuries.

Dinan told The Star-Ledger newspaper in Newark Wednesday that there were at least three victims, but police may identify more victims and more suspects. He said four sorority members were arrested Tuesday and two more on Wednesday.

He said the hazing occurred at a university student apartment building, but he declined to give the location. The hazing began about the middle of January and went on for eight days, he said.

Dinan also told the newspaper that the alleged victims were "unofficial pledges" because the alleged hazing did not occur during the university's recognized pledge period. Sigma Gamma Rho is a recognized sorority, but it does not have a sorority house in New Brunswick, Dinan said.

The police officer said five of the undergraduates charged were from New Jersey: Vanessa Adegbite, 21, of Jersey City; Joana Bernard, 21, of West Orange; Kesha Cheron, 20, of Newark; Shawna Ebanks, 21, of East Orange; and Marie Charles, 21, of West Orange. Llana Warner, 20, is from New York City.

E. J. Miranda, a spokesman for Rutgers, said a student and her parents reported the alleged hazing to the university administration Tuesday.

According to the university's statement, "After receiving this information, university officials contacted the police." Miranda said he didn't know whether the sorority had had similar reports before.

According to Rutgers, the university "strictly prohibits all forms of hazing. Under the Code of Student Conduct, a student found to have engaged in hazing may be subject to disciplinary action up to and including expulsion."

text: CNN

text: Rutgers

text: University

text: has

text: suspended

text: a

text: sorority

text: after

text: police

text: charged

text: six

text: of

text: its

text: members

text: in

text: a

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text: the

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text: Police

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text: Rutgers

text: Police

text: Lt

text: Richard

text: Dinan

text: said

text: the

text: six

text: women

text: were

text: taken

text: to

text: the

text: Middlesex

text: County

text: Adult

text: Correctional

text: Facility

text: and

text: bail

text: was

text: set

text: at

text: for

text: each

text: At

text: least

text: four

text: of

text: the

text: woman

text: have

text: posted

text: bail

text: he

text: said

text: He

text: declined

text: to

text: give

text: details

text: of

text: the

text: alleged

text: hazing

text: but

text: said

text: one

text: woman

text: sought

text: medical

text: attention

text: for

text: non

text: life

text: threatening

text: injuries

text: Dinan

text: told

text: The

text: Star

text: Ledger

text: newspaper

text: in

text: Newark

text: Wednesday

text: that

text: there

text: were

text: at

text: least

text: three

text: victims

text: but

text: police

text: may

text: identify

text: more

text: victims

text: and

text: more

text: suspects

text: He

text: said

text: four

text: sorority

text: members

text: were

text: arrested

text: Tuesday

text: and

text: two

text: more

text: on

text: Wednesday

text: He

text: said

text: the

text: hazing

text: occurred

text: at

text: a

text: university

text: student

text: apartment

text: building

text: but

text: he

text: declined

text: to

text: give

text: the

text: location

text: The

text: hazing

text: began

text: about

text: the

text: middle

text: of

text: January

text: and

text: went

text: on

text: for

text: eight

text: days

text: he

text: said

text: Dinan

text: also

text: told

text: the

text: newspaper

text: that

text: the

text: alleged

text: victims

text: were

text: unofficial

text: pledges

text: because

text: the

text: alleged

text: hazing

text: did

text: not

text: occur

text: during

text: the

text: university

text: 's

text: recognized

text: pledge

text: period

text: Sigma

text: Gamma

text: Rho

text: is

text: a

text: recognized

text: sorority

text: but

text: it

text: does

text: not

text: have

text: a

text: sorority

text: house

text: in

text: New

text: Brunswick

text: Dinan

text: said

text: The

text: police

text: officer

text: said

text: five

text: of

text: the

text: undergraduates

text: charged

text: were

text: from

text: New

text: Jersey

text: Vanessa

text: Adegbite

text: of

text: Jersey

text: City

text: Joana

text: Bernard

text: of

text: West

text: Orange

text: Kesha

text: Cheron

text: of

text: Newark

text: Shawna

text: Ebanks

text: of

text: East

text: Orange

text: and

text: Marie

text: Charles

text: of

text: West

text: Orange

text: Llana

text: Warner

text: is

text: from

text: New

text: York

text: City

text: E.

text: J.

text: Miranda

text: a

text: spokesman

text: for

text: Rutgers

text: said

text: a

text: student

text: and

text: her

text: parents

text: reported

text: the

text: alleged

text: hazing

text: to

text: the

text: university

text: administration

text: Tuesday

text: According

text: to

text: the

text: university

text: 's

text: statement

text: After

text: receiving

text: this

text: information

text: university

text: officials

text: contacted

text: the

text: police

text: Miranda

text: said

text: he

text: did

text: n't

text: know

text: whether

text: the

text: sorority

text: had

text: had

text: similar

text: reports

text: before

text: According

text: to

text: Rutgers

text: the

text: university

text: strictly

text: prohibits

text: all

text: forms

text: of

text: hazing

text: Under

text: the

text: Code

text: of

text: Student

text: Conduct

text: a

text: student

text: found

text: to

text: have

text: engaged

text: in

text: hazing

text: may

text: be

text: subject

text: to

text: disciplinary

text: action

text: up

text: to

text: and

text: including

text: expulsion

question: At which school is the group located?

answer: University

text: University

question: Where did the hazing occur?

answer: a university student apartment building,

text: a university student apartment building,

question: Who are charged with aggravated hazing?

answer: Llana Warner,

text: Llana Warner,

question: What kind of injuries did the woman suffer from?

answer: non-life-threatening

text: non-life-threatening

question: What is the name of the sorority?

answer: Sigma Gamma Rho

text: Sigma Gamma Rho

question: What sorority is suspected of hazing?

answer: Sigma Gamma Rho

text: Sigma Gamma Rho

question: What happened to the sorority chapter?

answer: has ceased to be officially recognized

text: has ceased to be officially recognized

question: What colleges did this happen at?

answer: Rutgers

text: Rutgers


text:
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- As Democrats continue to splinter over President Obama's proposed health care reform plan, Republicans are taking the opportunity to home in on a key argument: A good bill deserves more time and deliberation.

Sen. James Inhofe, R-Oklahoma, says his party may have enough votes to stall Democratic health care reform.

Rep. Nathan Deal, R-Georgia, said Friday that Obama's rush to put a bill together is "totally irresponsible."

"Most of us believe that the decision as to major reform of how Americans get their health care in this country deserves at least as much time and deliberation as it would take to select a puppy to live in the White House," he said. "It took the president six months to decide how long and which puppy he was going to have. ... To expect Congress to do something on major health care reform in six days is totally irresponsible."

Sen. James Inhofe, R-Oklahoma, speaking on conservative Hugh Hewitt's radio show recently, was asked about whether his party had enough votes to block health care from going forward. His answer: "I think so. I really do."

"If he is unsuccessful, which I anticipate and will predict he is, on getting a vote prior to the August recess, then I would say there's no way in the world they're going to get this done this year," he added.

Obama's fight to get health care reform through Congress hit a major snag this week -- facing opposition from Republicans and fiscally conservative "Blue Dog" Democrats worried over the costs -- estimated to be around $1 trillion.

On Thursday, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nevada, announced that the Senate would not take up a vote before August recess -- a deadline that Obama had originally wanted.  Watch a GOP senator lash out at Obama's plan Â»

Rep. Joe Barton, R-Texas responded to Democratic criticism that the GOP has failed to present a viable plan.

"When the Democrats say we don't have a plan ... where's their plan? If they can't get a bill out of committee, where's their plan?" he said.

Rep. Roy Blunt, R-Missouri, said it's hard to combat the Democrats' proposed legislation when it changes "by 100 pages every time you walk into the room."

The GOP's fight is also getting political, namely looking ahead to the upcoming midterm election.

"I just hope the president keeps talking about it, keeps trying to rush it through. We can stall it. And that's going to be a huge gain for those of us who want to turn this thing over in the 2010 election," Inhofe said.

Last week, Sen. Jim DeMint, R-South Carolina, was quoted as telling the group Conservatives for Patients' Rights, which opposes Obama's health care plan, that "if we're able to stop Obama on this, it will be his Waterloo. It will break him."

Obama debunked DeMint's claim during a live prime time news conference Wednesday night at the White House.

"I've heard that one Republican strategist told his party that even though they may want to compromise, it's better politics to 'go for the kill.' Another Republican senator said that defeating health reform is about 'breaking' me," he said.

"Let me be clear: This isn't about me," Obama said, noting that he and every member of Congress -- including those trying to scuttle health care reform legislation -- "have great health insurance."

Obama's chief-of-staff, Rahm Emanuel, took a swipe at the GOP's political maneuvering.

"At least they're honest about their motivation," Emanuel told National Public Radio Friday. "Their view about health care is about defeating President Obama. Politically, I actually appreciate what they said."

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question: Who is the U.S presindent?

answer: President Obama's

text: President Obama's

question: from where is Sen. Inhofe?

answer: R-Oklahoma,

text: R-Oklahoma,

question: What does the Sen. Inhofe said?

answer: says his party may have enough votes to stall Democratic health care reform.

text: says his party may have enough votes to stall Democratic health care reform.