text:
WASHINGTON (Reuters) -- The Democratic-led Congress yielded to President Bush on Saturday and approved legislation to temporarily expand government's power to conduct electronic surveillance without a court order in tracking foreign suspects.

President Bush demanded Congress expand his surveillance authority before leaving for vacation.

Civil liberties groups charged the measure would create a broad net that would sweep up law-abiding U.S. citizens.

But the House of Representatives gave its concurrence to the bill, 227-183, a day after it won Senate approval, 60-28.

The action came amid warnings of possible attacks on the United States.

"After months of prodding by House Republicans, Congress has finally closed the terrorist loophole in our surveillance law -- and America will be the safer for it," declared House Minority Leader John Boehner, an Ohio Republican.

"We think it is not the bill that ought to pass," said House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer. But he conceded he and fellow Democrats were unable to stop the measure in this national security showdown with the White House.

"Protecting America is our most solemn obligation," Bush said earlier in the day in urging Congress to send him the bill so he could sign it into law.  Watch Kelli Arena's report on what some call an intelligence gap Â»

The measure would authorize the National Security Agency to intercept without a court order communications between people in the United States and foreign targets overseas. E-mail to a friend

text: WASHINGTON

text: Reuters

text: The

text: Democratic

text: led

text: Congress

text: yielded

text: to

text: President

text: Bush

text: on

text: Saturday

text: and

text: approved

text: legislation

text: to

text: temporarily

text: expand

text: government

text: 's

text: power

text: to

text: conduct

text: electronic

text: surveillance

text: without

text: a

text: court

text: order

text: in

text: tracking

text: foreign

text: suspects

text: President

text: Bush

text: demanded

text: Congress

text: expand

text: his

text: surveillance

text: authority

text: before

text: leaving

text: for

text: vacation

text: Civil

text: liberties

text: groups

text: charged

text: the

text: measure

text: would

text: create

text: a

text: broad

text: net

text: that

text: would

text: sweep

text: up

text: law

text: abiding

text: U.S.

text: citizens

text: But

text: the

text: House

text: of

text: Representatives

text: gave

text: its

text: concurrence

text: to

text: the

text: bill

text: a

text: day

text: after

text: it

text: won

text: Senate

text: approval

text: The

text: action

text: came

text: amid

text: warnings

text: of

text: possible

text: attacks

text: on

text: the

text: United

text: States

text: After

text: months

text: of

text: prodding

text: by

text: House

text: Republicans

text: Congress

text: has

text: finally

text: closed

text: the

text: terrorist

text: loophole

text: in

text: our

text: surveillance

text: law

text: and

text: America

text: will

text: be

text: the

text: safer

text: for

text: it

text: declared

text: House

text: Minority

text: Leader

text: John

text: Boehner

text: an

text: Ohio

text: Republican

text: We

text: think

text: it

text: is

text: not

text: the

text: bill

text: that

text: ought

text: to

text: pass

text: said

text: House

text: Majority

text: Leader

text: Steny

text: Hoyer

text: But

text: he

text: conceded

text: he

text: and

text: fellow

text: Democrats

text: were

text: unable

text: to

text: stop

text: the

text: measure

text: in

text: this

text: national

text: security

text: showdown

text: with

text: the

text: White

text: House

text: Protecting

text: America

text: is

text: our

text: most

text: solemn

text: obligation

text: Bush

text: said

text: earlier

text: in

text: the

text: day

text: in

text: urging

text: Congress

text: to

text: send

text: him

text: the

text: bill

text: so

text: he

text: could

text: sign

text: it

text: into

text: law

text: Watch

text: Kelli

text: Arena

text: 's

text: report

text: on

text: what

text: some

text: call

text: an

text: intelligence

text: gap

text: Â

text: The

text: measure

text: would

text: authorize

text: the

text: National

text: Security

text: Agency

text: to

text: intercept

text: without

text: a

text: court

text: order

text: communications

text: between

text: people

text: in

text: the

text: United

text: States

text: and

text: foreign

text: targets

text: overseas

text: E

text: mail

text: to

text: a

text: friend

question: what prompted push for updating the program?

answer: possible attacks on the United States.

text: possible attacks on the United States.

question: Who urged the house to pass the bill?

answer: President Bush

text: President Bush

question: Who expanded the power of government to eavesdrop?

answer: The Democratic-led Congress

text: The Democratic-led Congress

question: What did the ruling push for?

answer: power to conduct electronic surveillance without a court order in tracking foreign suspects.

text: power to conduct electronic surveillance without a court order in tracking foreign suspects.

question: What did the measure do?

answer: temporarily expand government's power to conduct electronic surveillance without a court order in tracking foreign suspects.

text: temporarily expand government's power to conduct electronic surveillance without a court order in tracking foreign suspects.


text:
(CNN) -- The wait is almost over.

After months of hype, a reported $35 million in marketing costs and one high-profile judge switcheroo, Simon Cowell's "X Factor" will finally premiere on Wednesday. But will it be one talent contest too many? And can the show possibly be as big a hit in the U.S. as it is back in the UK?

I've been eagerly anticipating the U.S. launch of "The X Factor" for a long time now and have been frequently posting updates on my site Remote Patrolled. As a reality TV producer, originally from the UK but now living here in the United States, I'm very familiar with "The X Factor" format and its influence on British culture. For the past eight years, "The X Factor" has been the No. 1 entertainment show in British television, launching the career of several British pop stars and one international singing sensation, Leona Lewis. So can lightning strike twice?

In case you're not too familiar with "The X Factor" back story, here's a quick refresher.

Over in England in 2001, the ITV1 network unleashed a new talent contest called "Pop Idol." The show became an instant smash, due in large part to its toughest judge, Simon Cowell, and an addictive elimination format. In 2002, "Pop Idol" relocated to the U.S. as "American Idol." That show became an even bigger hit, launching stars like Kelly Clarkson, Jennifer Hudson and Carrie Underwood and making Cowell one of the richest people in show business.

Now here's where it gets really interesting.

"American" Idol was overseen by Spice Girls guru Simon Fuller, leaving Cowell as a mere (highly paid) gun-for-hire with no stake in the show -- or the success of its artists. As vocal as Cowell has been about being competitive, it is not surprising that he wanted to run his own show and reap the subsequent rewards. So back in England, "Pop Idol" was canceled after two seasons and replaced by the Cowell-produced "X Factor," resulting in some bad blood between the two Simons and a high-profile lawsuit (eventually settled).

The format of "The X Factor" is similar to "Idol," but there are several key differences. On "The X Factor," each of the four judges 'mentor' a category of contestant: Males younger than 30; females younger than 30; groups; and 30s and older. The show therefore becomes a contest between the judges as much as the contestants, often resulting in plenty of judges' bickering ("X Factor" judges Sharon Osbourne and Dannii Minogue were reportedly barely on speaking terms by the end of their run on the show). At the same time, the diversity of the contestants also makes the show rather different from "Idol," which these days only seems to crown white male guitar players.

One other key difference is that "The X Factor" is BIG! Auditions take place in front of a live audience, rather than a tiny audition room. And as the show progresses, it's the job of the judges to produce each of the contestants' performances as though they were staging an awards show style performance. So "X Factor" finalists get dancers, elaborate sets and complex lighting arrangements in contrast to the "static stand-and-sing" style of "American Idol."

Those are the differences. But can "The X Factor" succeed in the fiercely competitive U.S. marketplace? Back in England, the show faced little competition in the music competition genre. The BBC had "Fame Academy" (for which I produced all the live performance shows) and ITV1 had "Popstars" (a version of which also ran for two seasons here in the U.S.), but both shows had effectively run out of steam by the time "The X Factor" launched.

By contrast, the U.S. version of "The X Factor" is entering a crowded market dominated by a decade of the very successful " American Idol." Then there's NBC upstart "The Voice," which came out of nowhere in the spring to achieve strong ratings, especially among the highly coveted 18-49 demo. And at the same time as "The X Factor," NBC will also be rolling out a new season of another singing competition, "The Sing Off."

And those are just the success stories.

Over the last few years countless music competition series have come and go. Remember "Rock Star," "The One," "R U The Girl," "Clash of the Choirs" and MTV's "Top Pop Group?" Exactly! Even this year we've seen the heavily hyped "Glee Project" struggle on Oxygen, while Bravo's "Platinum Hit" was an outright flop.

Can "X Factor" buck the trend and become a bona fide phenomenon?

In large part, the success of "The X Factor" will depend on whether it can discover a true international superstar. Even Simon Cowell has admitted this will be the benchmark of the show's success. Unfortunately this will also be the show's toughest challenge.

It's been a long time since "Idol" discovered a true star. Not since Season 7's David Cook has an "Idol" artist sold a million albums (though Season 8 runner-up Adam Lambert has done reasonably well), and Season 10 winner Scotty McCreery seems unlikely to buck the trend. And while "The Voice's" Javier Colon has received plenty of critical kudos, "The Voice" finale was actually one of the lower-rated episodes of the season. It could be argued that the public appetite for music competition pop stars has already been sated.

Another challenge for "The X Factor" is that "The Voice" has effectively stolen one of the key gimmicks of the Simon Cowell series -- the idea of judges as 'mentors' who work with their contestants and are in a competition with one another. Even more damaging is that "The Voice's" starry line up -- Christina Aguilera, Blake Shelton, Adam Levine and Cee Lo Green -- is a heck of a lot more contemporary, successful and A-list then "X Factor" judges Paula Abdul, Nicole Scherzinger and L.A. Reid.

But "The X Factor" has one undeniable ace in its hand -- Cowell himself. After a pitiful season of "Idol" in which Steven Tyler, Jennifer Lopez and Randy Jackson could barely utter a word of criticism to any of the contestants, it will be refreshing to once again hear Simon's sharp-tongued but truthful feedback. On this year's "Idol," everyone was 'amazing', resulting in a tedious series that eliminated strong contenders such as Pia Toscano far too early and neutered others such as Casey Abrams who needed some harsh truth telling to raise their game.

Personally I think "The X Factor" will be a huge hit for Fox, enabling the network to dominate the fall season in much the same way it does the second half of the TV season.

With all the hype and hoopla surrounding Cowell's new show, audience awareness is higher than for any other show this season.

The only remaining question is just how big will "The X Factor" be? Can it possibly beat the 20 million plus audience "Idol" still routinely clocks up? Or will it have to settle for the more modest 12 million to 14 million "The Voice" pulled in? Knowing Simon Cowell, nothing less than No. 1 will be good enough. But for now it's up for us the audience to decide.

text: CNN

text: The

text: wait

text: is

text: almost

text: over

text: After

text: months

text: of

text: hype

text: a

text: reported

text: million

text: in

text: marketing

text: costs

text: and

text: one

text: high

text: profile

text: judge

text: switcheroo

text: Simon

text: Cowell

text: 's

text: X

text: Factor

text: will

text: finally

text: premiere

text: on

text: Wednesday

text: But

text: will

text: it

text: be

text: one

text: talent

text: contest

text: too

text: many

text: And

text: can

text: the

text: show

text: possibly

text: be

text: as

text: big

text: a

text: hit

text: in

text: the

text: U.S.

text: as

text: it

text: is

text: back

text: in

text: the

text: UK

text: I

text: 've

text: been

text: eagerly

text: anticipating

text: the

text: U.S.

text: launch

text: of

text: The

text: X

text: Factor

text: for

text: a

text: long

text: time

text: now

text: and

text: have

text: been

text: frequently

text: posting

text: updates

text: on

text: my

text: site

text: Remote

text: Patrolled

text: As

text: a

text: reality

text: TV

text: producer

text: originally

text: from

text: the

text: UK

text: but

text: now

text: living

text: here

text: in

text: the

text: United

text: States

text: I

text: 'm

text: very

text: familiar

text: with

text: The

text: X

text: Factor

text: format

text: and

text: its

text: influence

text: on

text: British

text: culture

text: For

text: the

text: past

text: eight

text: years

text: The

text: X

text: Factor

text: has

text: been

text: the

text: No

text: entertainment

text: show

text: in

text: British

text: television

text: launching

text: the

text: career

text: of

text: several

text: British

text: pop

text: stars

text: and

text: one

text: international

text: singing

text: sensation

text: Leona

text: Lewis

text: So

text: can

text: lightning

text: strike

text: twice

text: In

text: case

text: you

text: 're

text: not

text: too

text: familiar

text: with

text: The

text: X

text: Factor

text: back

text: story

text: here

text: 's

text: a

text: quick

text: refresher

text: Over

text: in

text: England

text: in

text: the

text: network

text: unleashed

text: a

text: new

text: talent

text: contest

text: called

text: Pop

text: Idol

text: The

text: show

text: became

text: an

text: instant

text: smash

text: due

text: in

text: large

text: part

text: to

text: its

text: toughest

text: judge

text: Simon

text: Cowell

text: and

text: an

text: addictive

text: elimination

text: format

text: In

text: Pop

text: Idol

text: relocated

text: to

text: the

text: U.S.

text: as

text: American

text: Idol

text: That

text: show

text: became

text: an

text: even

text: bigger

text: hit

text: launching

text: stars

text: like

text: Kelly

text: Clarkson

text: Jennifer

text: Hudson

text: and

text: Carrie

text: Underwood

text: and

text: making

text: Cowell

text: one

text: of

text: the

text: richest

text: people

text: in

text: show

text: business

text: Now

text: here

text: 's

text: where

text: it

text: gets

text: really

text: interesting

text: American

text: Idol

text: was

text: overseen

text: by

text: Spice

text: Girls

text: guru

text: Simon

text: Fuller

text: leaving

text: Cowell

text: as

text: a

text: mere

text: highly

text: paid

text: gun

text: for

text: hire

text: with

text: no

text: stake

text: in

text: the

text: show

text: or

text: the

text: success

text: of

text: its

text: artists

text: As

text: vocal

text: as

text: Cowell

text: has

text: been

text: about

text: being

text: competitive

text: it

text: is

text: not

text: surprising

text: that

text: he

text: wanted

text: to

text: run

text: his

text: own

text: show

text: and

text: reap

text: the

text: subsequent

text: rewards

text: So

text: back

text: in

text: England

text: Pop

text: Idol

text: was

text: canceled

text: after

text: two

text: seasons

text: and

text: replaced

text: by

text: the

text: Cowell

text: produced

text: X

text: Factor

text: resulting

text: in

text: some

text: bad

text: blood

text: between

text: the

text: two

text: Simons

text: and

text: a

text: high

text: profile

text: lawsuit

text: eventually

text: settled

text: The

text: format

text: of

text: The

text: X

text: Factor

text: is

text: similar

text: to

text: Idol

text: but

text: there

text: are

text: several

text: key

text: differences

text: On

text: The

text: X

text: Factor

text: each

text: of

text: the

text: four

text: judges

text: mentor

text: a

text: category

text: of

text: contestant

text: Males

text: younger

text: than

text: females

text: younger

text: than

text: groups

text: and

text: and

text: older

text: The

text: show

text: therefore

text: becomes

text: a

text: contest

text: between

text: the

text: judges

text: as

text: much

text: as

text: the

text: contestants

text: often

text: resulting

text: in

text: plenty

text: of

text: judges

text: bickering

text: X

text: Factor

text: judges

text: Sharon

text: Osbourne

text: and

text: Dannii

text: Minogue

text: were

text: reportedly

text: barely

text: on

text: speaking

text: terms

text: by

text: the

text: end

text: of

text: their

text: run

text: on

text: the

text: show

text: At

text: the

text: same

text: time

text: the

text: diversity

text: of

text: the

text: contestants

text: also

text: makes

text: the

text: show

text: rather

text: different

text: from

text: Idol

text: which

text: these

text: days

text: only

text: seems

text: to

text: crown

text: white

text: male

text: guitar

text: players

text: One

text: other

text: key

text: difference

text: is

text: that

text: The

text: X

text: Factor

text: is

text: BIG

text: Auditions

text: take

text: place

text: in

text: front

text: of

text: a

text: live

text: audience

text: rather

text: than

text: a

text: tiny

text: audition

text: room

text: And

text: as

text: the

text: show

text: progresses

text: it

text: 's

text: the

text: job

text: of

text: the

text: judges

text: to

text: produce

text: each

text: of

text: the

text: contestants

text: performances

text: as

text: though

text: they

text: were

text: staging

text: an

text: awards

text: show

text: style

text: performance

text: So

text: X

text: Factor

text: finalists

text: get

text: dancers

text: elaborate

text: sets

text: and

text: complex

text: lighting

text: arrangements

text: in

text: contrast

text: to

text: the

text: static

text: stand

text: and

text: sing

text: style

text: of

text: American

text: Idol

text: Those

text: are

text: the

text: differences

text: But

text: can

text: The

text: X

text: Factor

text: succeed

text: in

text: the

text: fiercely

text: competitive

text: U.S.

text: marketplace

text: Back

text: in

text: England

text: the

text: show

text: faced

text: little

text: competition

text: in

text: the

text: music

text: competition

text: genre

text: The

text: BBC

text: had

text: Fame

text: Academy

text: for

text: which

text: I

text: produced

text: all

text: the

text: live

text: performance

text: shows

text: and

text: had

text: Popstars

text: a

text: version

text: of

text: which

text: also

text: ran

text: for

text: two

text: seasons

text: here

text: in

text: the

text: U.S.

text: but

text: both

text: shows

text: had

text: effectively

text: run

text: out

text: of

text: steam

text: by

text: the

text: time

text: The

text: X

text: Factor

text: launched

text: By

text: contrast

text: the

text: U.S.

text: version

text: of

text: The

text: X

text: Factor

text: is

text: entering

text: a

text: crowded

text: market

text: dominated

text: by

text: a

text: decade

text: of

text: the

text: very

text: successful

text: American

text: Idol

text: Then

text: there

text: 's

text: NBC

text: upstart

text: The

text: Voice

text: which

text: came

text: out

text: of

text: nowhere

text: in

text: the

text: spring

text: to

text: achieve

text: strong

text: ratings

text: especially

text: among

text: the

text: highly

text: coveted

text: demo

text: And

text: at

text: the

text: same

text: time

text: as

text: The

text: X

text: Factor

text: NBC

text: will

text: also

text: be

text: rolling

text: out

text: a

text: new

text: season

text: of

text: another

text: singing

text: competition

text: The

text: Sing

text: Off

text: And

text: those

text: are

text: just

text: the

text: success

text: stories

text: Over

text: the

text: last

text: few

text: years

text: countless

text: music

text: competition

text: series

text: have

text: come

text: and

text: go

text: Remember

text: Rock

text: Star

text: The

text: One

text: R

text: U

text: The

text: Girl

text: Clash

text: of

text: the

text: Choirs

text: and

text: MTV

text: 's

text: Top

text: Pop

text: Group

text: Exactly

text: Even

text: this

text: year

text: we

text: 've

text: seen

text: the

text: heavily

text: hyped

text: Glee

text: Project

text: struggle

text: on

text: Oxygen

text: while

text: Bravo

text: 's

text: Platinum

text: Hit

text: was

text: an

text: outright

text: flop

text: Can

text: X

text: Factor

text: buck

text: the

text: trend

text: and

text: become

text: a

text: bona

text: fide

text: phenomenon

text: In

text: large

text: part

text: the

text: success

text: of

text: The

text: X

text: Factor

text: will

text: depend

text: on

text: whether

text: it

text: can

text: discover

text: a

text: true

text: international

text: superstar

text: Even

text: Simon

text: Cowell

text: has

text: admitted

text: this

text: will

text: be

text: the

text: benchmark

text: of

text: the

text: show

text: 's

text: success

text: Unfortunately

text: this

text: will

text: also

text: be

text: the

text: show

text: 's

text: toughest

text: challenge

text: It

text: 's

text: been

text: a

text: long

text: time

text: since

text: Idol

text: discovered

text: a

text: true

text: star

text: Not

text: since

text: Season

text: 's

text: David

text: Cook

text: has

text: an

text: Idol

text: artist

text: sold

text: a

text: million

text: albums

text: though

text: Season

text: runner

text: up

text: Adam

text: Lambert

text: has

text: done

text: reasonably

text: well

text: and

text: Season

text: winner

text: Scotty

text: McCreery

text: seems

text: unlikely

text: to

text: buck

text: the

text: trend

text: And

text: while

text: The

text: Voice

text: 's

text: Javier

text: Colon

text: has

text: received

text: plenty

text: of

text: critical

text: kudos

text: The

text: Voice

text: finale

text: was

text: actually

text: one

text: of

text: the

text: lower

text: rated

text: episodes

text: of

text: the

text: season

text: It

text: could

text: be

text: argued

text: that

text: the

text: public

text: appetite

text: for

text: music

text: competition

text: pop

text: stars

text: has

text: already

text: been

text: sated

text: Another

text: challenge

text: for

text: The

text: X

text: Factor

text: is

text: that

text: The

text: Voice

text: has

text: effectively

text: stolen

text: one

text: of

text: the

text: key

text: gimmicks

text: of

text: the

text: Simon

text: Cowell

text: series

text: the

text: idea

text: of

text: judges

text: as

text: mentors

text: who

text: work

text: with

text: their

text: contestants

text: and

text: are

text: in

text: a

text: competition

text: with

text: one

text: another

text: Even

text: more

text: damaging

text: is

text: that

text: The

text: Voice

text: 's

text: starry

text: line

text: up

text: Christina

text: Aguilera

text: Blake

text: Shelton

text: Adam

text: Levine

text: and

text: Cee

text: Lo

text: Green

text: is

text: a

text: heck

text: of

text: a

text: lot

text: more

text: contemporary

text: successful

text: and

text: A

text: list

text: then

text: X

text: Factor

text: judges

text: Paula

text: Abdul

text: Nicole

text: Scherzinger

text: and

text: L.A.

text: Reid

text: But

text: The

text: X

text: Factor

text: has

text: one

text: undeniable

text: ace

text: in

text: its

text: hand

text: Cowell

text: himself

text: After

text: a

text: pitiful

text: season

text: of

text: Idol

text: in

text: which

text: Steven

text: Tyler

text: Jennifer

text: Lopez

text: and

text: Randy

text: Jackson

text: could

text: barely

text: utter

text: a

text: word

text: of

text: criticism

text: to

text: any

text: of

text: the

text: contestants

text: it

text: will

text: be

text: refreshing

text: to

text: once

text: again

text: hear

text: Simon

text: 's

text: sharp

text: tongued

text: but

text: truthful

text: feedback

text: On

text: this

text: year

text: 's

text: Idol

text: everyone

text: was

text: amazing

text: resulting

text: in

text: a

text: tedious

text: series

text: that

text: eliminated

text: strong

text: contenders

text: such

text: as

text: Pia

text: Toscano

text: far

text: too

text: early

text: and

text: neutered

text: others

text: such

text: as

text: Casey

text: Abrams

text: who

text: needed

text: some

text: harsh

text: truth

text: telling

text: to

text: raise

text: their

text: game

text: Personally

text: I

text: think

text: The

text: X

text: Factor

text: will

text: be

text: a

text: huge

text: hit

text: for

text: Fox

text: enabling

text: the

text: network

text: to

text: dominate

text: the

text: fall

text: season

text: in

text: much

text: the

text: same

text: way

text: it

text: does

text: the

text: second

text: half

text: of

text: the

text: TV

text: season

text: With

text: all

text: the

text: hype

text: and

text: hoopla

text: surrounding

text: Cowell

text: 's

text: new

text: show

text: audience

text: awareness

text: is

text: higher

text: than

text: for

text: any

text: other

text: show

text: this

text: season

text: The

text: only

text: remaining

text: question

text: is

text: just

text: how

text: big

text: will

text: The

text: X

text: Factor

text: be

text: Can

text: it

text: possibly

text: beat

text: the

text: million

text: plus

text: audience

text: Idol

text: still

text: routinely

text: clocks

text: up

text: Or

text: will

text: it

text: have

text: to

text: settle

text: for

text: the

text: more

text: modest

text: million

text: to

text: million

text: The

text: Voice

text: pulled

text: in

text: Knowing

text: Simon

text: Cowell

text: nothing

text: less

text: than

text: No

text: will

text: be

text: good

text: enough

text: But

text: for

text: now

text: it

text: 's

text: up

text: for

text: us

text: the

text: audience

text: to

text: decide

question: What will premiere on Wednesday?

answer: "X Factor"

text: "X Factor"

question: When will X Factor premiere?

answer: on Wednesday.

text: on Wednesday.

question: What is it similar to?

answer: "Idol,"

text: "Idol,"

question: What is X factor similar to?

answer: "Idol,"

text: "Idol,"

question: who founded X FACTOR?

answer: Simon Cowell's

text: Simon Cowell's

question: What is the show's biggest draw?

answer: Simon Cowell,

text: Simon Cowell,

question: that day X FACTOR was released?

answer: Wednesday.

text: Wednesday.


text:
Seattle, Washington (CNN) -- Instead of the traditional bad guys, it was the costumed, self-styled superhero that ended up behind bars after an altercation Sunday in Seattle.

Phoenix Jones, the moniker used by a man who dons a skintight black-and-gold rubber suit and mask, was arrested on four counts of assault after allegedly trying to break up a fight with pepper spray, the Seattle Police Department said.

According to the statement, a group of men and women were leaving a downtown Seattle club at 2:32 a.m. Sunday and "were dancing and having a good time" when an "unknown adult male suspect came up from behind and pepper sprayed the group," the statement said.

"He inserted himself and sprayed them with pepper spray," Seattle Police spokesman Mark Jamieson told CNN. Jones was arrested and charged with four counts of assault, Jamieson said.

But Jones claimed he used the pepper spray only to break up a fight and to protect himself. "I would never hurt or harm another person if they were not causing harm to another human being," read a message from Jones on his Facebook page.

For about a year, the masked Jones has patrolled the streets of Seattle, often with a film crew in tow, looking for crime and generating international headlines.

Jamieson said it is unclear how many -- if any -- crimes Jones has assisted police with. Police urge people to call 911 rather than take the law into their own hands, he added.

On a video released by Jones of the incident that led to his arrest, Jones is heard telling the film crew to call 911, then rushes into a crowd of people who appear to be engaged in an altercation.

A spokesman for Jones said he had no recourse but to get involved. "The fight was a huge group of people against a smaller group," said Peter Tangen. "It was an unfair fight, he went there to break it up."

A chaotic scene unfolds on the 13-minute video after Jones runs toward a man and woman who appear to be fighting. The man walks away and the woman then tries to hit Jones with her purse but instead falls onto the street.

"What is this, Halloween?" another woman calls out to rubber-suited Jones.

Eventually Jones is seen spraying several of the individuals with what appears to be a can of pepper spray.

Police spokesman Jamieson said Jones' actions were overkill. "If you see something that warrants calling 911, call 911. You don't need to dress up in a costume to do that."

Tangen asked CNN and other media not publish Jones' real name, which is listed in his police booking. "His family is at risk of retaliation from criminals," he said. Many, but not all, news outlets were going along with the request.

After he was arrested Sunday and before he was released without bond, Tangen said, Jones was roughed up by two men in the cell he was being held in. The spokesman said Jones was wearing his costume but police had taken away his mask.

Tangen said Jones was shoved but was not seriously hurt and plans to keep fighting crime despite his run-in with police.

"He will always be an activist," Tangen said.

text: Seattle

text: Washington

text: CNN

text: Instead

text: of

text: the

text: traditional

text: bad

text: guys

text: it

text: was

text: the

text: costumed

text: self

text: styled

text: superhero

text: that

text: ended

text: up

text: behind

text: bars

text: after

text: an

text: altercation

text: Sunday

text: in

text: Seattle

text: Phoenix

text: Jones

text: the

text: moniker

text: used

text: by

text: a

text: man

text: who

text: dons

text: a

text: skintight

text: black

text: and

text: gold

text: rubber

text: suit

text: and

text: mask

text: was

text: arrested

text: on

text: four

text: counts

text: of

text: assault

text: after

text: allegedly

text: trying

text: to

text: break

text: up

text: a

text: fight

text: with

text: pepper

text: spray

text: the

text: Seattle

text: Police

text: Department

text: said

text: According

text: to

text: the

text: statement

text: a

text: group

text: of

text: men

text: and

text: women

text: were

text: leaving

text: a

text: downtown

text: Seattle

text: club

text: at

text: a.m.

text: Sunday

text: and

text: were

text: dancing

text: and

text: having

text: a

text: good

text: time

text: when

text: an

text: unknown

text: adult

text: male

text: suspect

text: came

text: up

text: from

text: behind

text: and

text: pepper

text: sprayed

text: the

text: group

text: the

text: statement

text: said

text: He

text: inserted

text: himself

text: and

text: sprayed

text: them

text: with

text: pepper

text: spray

text: Seattle

text: Police

text: spokesman

text: Mark

text: Jamieson

text: told

text: CNN

text: Jones

text: was

text: arrested

text: and

text: charged

text: with

text: four

text: counts

text: of

text: assault

text: Jamieson

text: said

text: But

text: Jones

text: claimed

text: he

text: used

text: the

text: pepper

text: spray

text: only

text: to

text: break

text: up

text: a

text: fight

text: and

text: to

text: protect

text: himself

text: I

text: would

text: never

text: hurt

text: or

text: harm

text: another

text: person

text: if

text: they

text: were

text: not

text: causing

text: harm

text: to

text: another

text: human

text: being

text: read

text: a

text: message

text: from

text: Jones

text: on

text: his

text: Facebook

text: page

text: For

text: about

text: a

text: year

text: the

text: masked

text: Jones

text: has

text: patrolled

text: the

text: streets

text: of

text: Seattle

text: often

text: with

text: a

text: film

text: crew

text: in

text: tow

text: looking

text: for

text: crime

text: and

text: generating

text: international

text: headlines

text: Jamieson

text: said

text: it

text: is

text: unclear

text: how

text: many

text: if

text: any

text: crimes

text: Jones

text: has

text: assisted

text: police

text: with

text: Police

text: urge

text: people

text: to

text: call

text: rather

text: than

text: take

text: the

text: law

text: into

text: their

text: own

text: hands

text: he

text: added

text: On

text: a

text: video

text: released

text: by

text: Jones

text: of

text: the

text: incident

text: that

text: led

text: to

text: his

text: arrest

text: Jones

text: is

text: heard

text: telling

text: the

text: film

text: crew

text: to

text: call

text: then

text: rushes

text: into

text: a

text: crowd

text: of

text: people

text: who

text: appear

text: to

text: be

text: engaged

text: in

text: an

text: altercation

text: A

text: spokesman

text: for

text: Jones

text: said

text: he

text: had

text: no

text: recourse

text: but

text: to

text: get

text: involved

text: The

text: fight

text: was

text: a

text: huge

text: group

text: of

text: people

text: against

text: a

text: smaller

text: group

text: said

text: Peter

text: Tangen

text: It

text: was

text: an

text: unfair

text: fight

text: he

text: went

text: there

text: to

text: break

text: it

text: up

text: A

text: chaotic

text: scene

text: unfolds

text: on

text: the

text: video

text: after

text: Jones

text: runs

text: toward

text: a

text: man

text: and

text: woman

text: who

text: appear

text: to

text: be

text: fighting

text: The

text: man

text: walks

text: away

text: and

text: the

text: woman

text: then

text: tries

text: to

text: hit

text: Jones

text: with

text: her

text: purse

text: but

text: instead

text: falls

text: onto

text: the

text: street

text: What

text: is

text: this

text: Halloween

text: another

text: woman

text: calls

text: out

text: to

text: rubber

text: suited

text: Jones

text: Eventually

text: Jones

text: is

text: seen

text: spraying

text: several

text: of

text: the

text: individuals

text: with

text: what

text: appears

text: to

text: be

text: a

text: can

text: of

text: pepper

text: spray

text: Police

text: spokesman

text: Jamieson

text: said

text: Jones

text: actions

text: were

text: overkill

text: If

text: you

text: see

text: something

text: that

text: warrants

text: calling

text: call

text: You

text: do

text: n't

text: need

text: to

text: dress

text: up

text: in

text: a

text: costume

text: to

text: do

text: that

text: Tangen

text: asked

text: CNN

text: and

text: other

text: media

text: not

text: publish

text: Jones

text: real

text: name

text: which

text: is

text: listed

text: in

text: his

text: police

text: booking

text: His

text: family

text: is

text: at

text: risk

text: of

text: retaliation

text: from

text: criminals

text: he

text: said

text: Many

text: but

text: not

text: all

text: news

text: outlets

text: were

text: going

text: along

text: with

text: the

text: request

text: After

text: he

text: was

text: arrested

text: Sunday

text: and

text: before

text: he

text: was

text: released

text: without

text: bond

text: Tangen

text: said

text: Jones

text: was

text: roughed

text: up

text: by

text: two

text: men

text: in

text: the

text: cell

text: he

text: was

text: being

text: held

text: in

text: The

text: spokesman

text: said

text: Jones

text: was

text: wearing

text: his

text: costume

text: but

text: police

text: had

text: taken

text: away

text: his

text: mask

text: Tangen

text: said

text: Jones

text: was

text: shoved

text: but

text: was

text: not

text: seriously

text: hurt

text: and

text: plans

text: to

text: keep

text: fighting

text: crime

text: despite

text: his

text: run

text: in

text: with

text: police

text: He

text: will

text: always

text: be

text: an

text: activist

text: Tangen

text: said

question: Where does he operate?

answer: Seattle,

text: Seattle,

question: Was he charged with anything?

answer: four counts of assault,

text: four counts of assault,

question: What did Jones do?

answer: four counts of assault after allegedly trying to break up

text: four counts of assault after allegedly trying to break up

question: What did he use?

answer: pepper spray,

text: pepper spray,

question: What happened to him?

answer: arrested on four counts of assault

text: arrested on four counts of assault


text:
(CNN) -- California's Supreme Court said Wednesday that it will hear the appeal of a challenge to Proposition 8, a voter-approved measure outlawing same-sex marriage.

California's voter-approved measure banning same-sex marriage has sparked protests throughout the state.

In a written statement, the court said it will not block the implementation or enforcement of the law in the meantime.

Proposition 8 passed with about 52.5 percent of the vote, making California one of several states to ban same-sex marriage in the November 4 elections.

But unlike the other states, California had already been issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples since May, after a state Supreme Court ruling legalized the unions.

The American Civil Liberties Union, Lambda Legal and the National Center for Lesbian Rights filed legal challenges to the vote, asking the high court to rule the ballot-initiative process was "improperly used" to strip away a right protected by the state constitution. iReport.com: Share your view on same-sex marriage

The court said arguments in the case could be heard as early as March.

In its May 15 ruling legalizing same-sex marriage in California, the justices seemed to signal that a ballot initiative like Proposition 8 might not be enough to change the underlying constitutional issues of the case in the court's eyes.

The ruling said the right to marry is among a set of basic human rights "so integral to an individual's liberty and personal autonomy that they may not be eliminated or abrogated by the legislature or by the electorate through the statutory initiative process."

In the hours after the proposition's apparent passage, thousands of protesters took to the streets of Los Angeles and other cities across California in protest.

Observances in support of same-sex marriage were held in cities across the country Saturday.

text: CNN

text: California

text: 's

text: Supreme

text: Court

text: said

text: Wednesday

text: that

text: it

text: will

text: hear

text: the

text: appeal

text: of

text: a

text: challenge

text: to

text: Proposition

text: a

text: voter

text: approved

text: measure

text: outlawing

text: same

text: sex

text: marriage

text: California

text: 's

text: voter

text: approved

text: measure

text: banning

text: same

text: sex

text: marriage

text: has

text: sparked

text: protests

text: throughout

text: the

text: state

text: In

text: a

text: written

text: statement

text: the

text: court

text: said

text: it

text: will

text: not

text: block

text: the

text: implementation

text: or

text: enforcement

text: of

text: the

text: law

text: in

text: the

text: meantime

text: Proposition

text: passed

text: with

text: about

text: percent

text: of

text: the

text: vote

text: making

text: California

text: one

text: of

text: several

text: states

text: to

text: ban

text: same

text: sex

text: marriage

text: in

text: the

text: November

text: elections

text: But

text: unlike

text: the

text: other

text: states

text: California

text: had

text: already

text: been

text: issuing

text: marriage

text: licenses

text: to

text: same

text: sex

text: couples

text: since

text: May

text: after

text: a

text: state

text: Supreme

text: Court

text: ruling

text: legalized

text: the

text: unions

text: The

text: American

text: Civil

text: Liberties

text: Union

text: Lambda

text: Legal

text: and

text: the

text: National

text: Center

text: for

text: Lesbian

text: Rights

text: filed

text: legal

text: challenges

text: to

text: the

text: vote

text: asking

text: the

text: high

text: court

text: to

text: rule

text: the

text: ballot

text: initiative

text: process

text: was

text: improperly

text: used

text: to

text: strip

text: away

text: a

text: right

text: protected

text: by

text: the

text: state

text: constitution

text: iReport.com

text: Share

text: your

text: view

text: on

text: same

text: sex

text: marriage

text: The

text: court

text: said

text: arguments

text: in

text: the

text: case

text: could

text: be

text: heard

text: as

text: early

text: as

text: March

text: In

text: its

text: May

text: ruling

text: legalizing

text: same

text: sex

text: marriage

text: in

text: California

text: the

text: justices

text: seemed

text: to

text: signal

text: that

text: a

text: ballot

text: initiative

text: like

text: Proposition

text: might

text: not

text: be

text: enough

text: to

text: change

text: the

text: underlying

text: constitutional

text: issues

text: of

text: the

text: case

text: in

text: the

text: court

text: 's

text: eyes

text: The

text: ruling

text: said

text: the

text: right

text: to

text: marry

text: is

text: among

text: a

text: set

text: of

text: basic

text: human

text: rights

text: so

text: integral

text: to

text: an

text: individual

text: 's

text: liberty

text: and

text: personal

text: autonomy

text: that

text: they

text: may

text: not

text: be

text: eliminated

text: or

text: abrogated

text: by

text: the

text: legislature

text: or

text: by

text: the

text: electorate

text: through

text: the

text: statutory

text: initiative

text: process

text: In

text: the

text: hours

text: after

text: the

text: proposition

text: 's

text: apparent

text: passage

text: thousands

text: of

text: protesters

text: took

text: to

text: the

text: streets

text: of

text: Los

text: Angeles

text: and

text: other

text: cities

text: across

text: California

text: in

text: protest

text: Observances

text: in

text: support

text: of

text: same

text: sex

text: marriage

text: were

text: held

text: in

text: cities

text: across

text: the

text: country

text: Saturday

question: what is proposition 8

answer: a voter-approved measure outlawing same-sex marriage.

text: a voter-approved measure outlawing same-sex marriage.

question: Who legalised same-sex marriage on May 15?

answer: California

text: California

question: did the court say anything

answer: said it will not block the implementation or enforcement of the law in the meantime.

text: said it will not block the implementation or enforcement of the law in the meantime.

question: who legalized it

answer: state Supreme Court

text: state Supreme Court


text:
(CNN) -- The Federal Aviation Administration has suspended two air traffic controllers over last week's collision of two aircraft over the Hudson River that killed nine people, a spokeswoman said.

The wreckage of a plane that collided with a helicopter is lifted this week from the Hudson River.

A controller at New Jersey's Teterboro Airport handling the flight of a Piper airplane carrying three people "was involved in apparently inappropriate conversations on the telephone at the time of the accident," FAA spokeswoman Laura Brown said in a statement Thursday.

A source with knowledge of the investigation said the controller was on the phone with his girlfriend "after he cleared the pilot for takeoff; he was still on the phone at the time of the crash."

In addition, "the supervisor was not present in the building as required," Brown said.

"While we have no reason to believe at this time that these actions contributed to the accident, this kind of conduct is unacceptable, and we have placed the employees on administrative leave and have begun disciplinary proceedings," she said.  Watch amateur video of the moment of impact Â»

"These are serious violations of the FAA regulations," said Mary Schiavo, former inspector general for the Transportation Department.

The union for air traffic controllers urged caution.

"We support that any such allegation is fully investigated before there is a rush to judgment about the behavior of any controller," said a statement from the National Air Traffic Controllers Association.

The National Transportation Safety Board is working with the FAA in investigating Saturday's collision of the Piper, which had taken off from Teterboro, with a sightseeing helicopter that was carrying five Italian tourists and a pilot.

No one aboard either aircraft survived the crash.

The NTSB has said the pilot of the small plane was cleared electronically and handed off to Newark, New Jersey, air traffic controllers, a standard procedure.

However, Newark's control tower never got a verbal response from the pilot of the small plane.

The controller put on leave was described as a longtime employee, the source said.

He and the supervisor face disciplinary action that could include their firing.

Also Thursday, FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt said the agency may reissue advisories to pilots using the busy airspace over the Hudson.

Pilots are urged to use a radio frequency dedicated to traffic in that corridor, fly no faster than 140 knots and turn on their lights as they enter that airspace.

Babbitt made the comments at an event at the agency's research facility in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

CNN's Susan Candiotti contributed to this report.

text: CNN

text: The

text: Federal

text: Aviation

text: Administration

text: has

text: suspended

text: two

text: air

text: traffic

text: controllers

text: over

text: last

text: week

text: 's

text: collision

text: of

text: two

text: aircraft

text: over

text: the

text: Hudson

text: River

text: that

text: killed

text: nine

text: people

text: a

text: spokeswoman

text: said

text: The

text: wreckage

text: of

text: a

text: plane

text: that

text: collided

text: with

text: a

text: helicopter

text: is

text: lifted

text: this

text: week

text: from

text: the

text: Hudson

text: River

text: A

text: controller

text: at

text: New

text: Jersey

text: 's

text: Teterboro

text: Airport

text: handling

text: the

text: flight

text: of

text: a

text: Piper

text: airplane

text: carrying

text: three

text: people

text: was

text: involved

text: in

text: apparently

text: inappropriate

text: conversations

text: on

text: the

text: telephone

text: at

text: the

text: time

text: of

text: the

text: accident

text: FAA

text: spokeswoman

text: Laura

text: Brown

text: said

text: in

text: a

text: statement

text: Thursday

text: A

text: source

text: with

text: knowledge

text: of

text: the

text: investigation

text: said

text: the

text: controller

text: was

text: on

text: the

text: phone

text: with

text: his

text: girlfriend

text: after

text: he

text: cleared

text: the

text: pilot

text: for

text: takeoff

text: he

text: was

text: still

text: on

text: the

text: phone

text: at

text: the

text: time

text: of

text: the

text: crash

text: In

text: addition

text: the

text: supervisor

text: was

text: not

text: present

text: in

text: the

text: building

text: as

text: required

text: Brown

text: said

text: While

text: we

text: have

text: no

text: reason

text: to

text: believe

text: at

text: this

text: time

text: that

text: these

text: actions

text: contributed

text: to

text: the

text: accident

text: this

text: kind

text: of

text: conduct

text: is

text: unacceptable

text: and

text: we

text: have

text: placed

text: the

text: employees

text: on

text: administrative

text: leave

text: and

text: have

text: begun

text: disciplinary

text: proceedings

text: she

text: said

text: Watch

text: amateur

text: video

text: of

text: the

text: moment

text: of

text: impact

text: Â

text: These

text: are

text: serious

text: violations

text: of

text: the

text: FAA

text: regulations

text: said

text: Mary

text: Schiavo

text: former

text: inspector

text: general

text: for

text: the

text: Transportation

text: Department

text: The

text: union

text: for

text: air

text: traffic

text: controllers

text: urged

text: caution

text: We

text: support

text: that

text: any

text: such

text: allegation

text: is

text: fully

text: investigated

text: before

text: there

text: is

text: a

text: rush

text: to

text: judgment

text: about

text: the

text: behavior

text: of

text: any

text: controller

text: said

text: a

text: statement

text: from

text: the

text: National

text: Air

text: Traffic

text: Controllers

text: Association

text: The

text: National

text: Transportation

text: Safety

text: Board

text: is

text: working

text: with

text: the

text: FAA

text: in

text: investigating

text: Saturday

text: 's

text: collision

text: of

text: the

text: Piper

text: which

text: had

text: taken

text: off

text: from

text: Teterboro

text: with

text: a

text: sightseeing

text: helicopter

text: that

text: was

text: carrying

text: five

text: Italian

text: tourists

text: and

text: a

text: pilot

text: No

text: one

text: aboard

text: either

text: aircraft

text: survived

text: the

text: crash

text: The

text: NTSB

text: has

text: said

text: the

text: pilot

text: of

text: the

text: small

text: plane

text: was

text: cleared

text: electronically

text: and

text: handed

text: off

text: to

text: Newark

text: New

text: Jersey

text: air

text: traffic

text: controllers

text: a

text: standard

text: procedure

text: However

text: Newark

text: 's

text: control

text: tower

text: never

text: got

text: a

text: verbal

text: response

text: from

text: the

text: pilot

text: of

text: the

text: small

text: plane

text: The

text: controller

text: put

text: on

text: leave

text: was

text: described

text: as

text: a

text: longtime

text: employee

text: the

text: source

text: said

text: He

text: and

text: the

text: supervisor

text: face

text: disciplinary

text: action

text: that

text: could

text: include

text: their

text: firing

text: Also

text: Thursday

text: FAA

text: Administrator

text: Randy

text: Babbitt

text: said

text: the

text: agency

text: may

text: reissue

text: advisories

text: to

text: pilots

text: using

text: the

text: busy

text: airspace

text: over

text: the

text: Hudson

text: Pilots

text: are

text: urged

text: to

text: use

text: a

text: radio

text: frequency

text: dedicated

text: to

text: traffic

text: in

text: that

text: corridor

text: fly

text: no

text: faster

text: than

text: knots

text: and

text: turn

text: on

text: their

text: lights

text: as

text: they

text: enter

text: that

text: airspace

text: Babbitt

text: made

text: the

text: comments

text: at

text: an

text: event

text: at

text: the

text: agency

text: 's

text: research

text: facility

text: in

text: Atlantic

text: City

text: New

text: Jersey

text: CNN

text: 's

text: Susan

text: Candiotti

text: contributed

text: to

text: this

text: report

question: How many people died in the collision?

answer: nine

text: nine

question: How many people were on the plane?

answer: three

text: three

question: Who was the controller talking to?

answer: his girlfriend

text: his girlfriend

question: What number was killed in the collision?

answer: nine people,

text: nine people,

question: What was controller doing during the accident?

answer: on the phone with his girlfriend

text: on the phone with his girlfriend

question: What collided with helicopter

answer: a plane

text: a plane


text:
Washington (CNN) -- President Barack Obama released his long-awaited debt reduction plan Monday, outlining a roughly $3 trillion savings blueprint that was immediately criticized by top congressional and other Republicans.

The president's plan includes $1.5 trillion in new revenue generated largely by higher taxes on the wealthiest Americans, a proposal strongly opposed by GOP leaders who insist that any tax increase will undermine an already shaky economy.

The measure -- which would add to nearly $1 trillion in savings signed into law under the debt-ceiling deal enacted in August -- does not include changes to Social Security. It would increase Medicare premiums for individuals with higher incomes starting in 2017 -- the year Obama leaves office if he wins a second term.

"We are not going to have a one-sided deal that hurts the folks that are most vulnerable," Obama said at the White House, offering a defense of tax hikes on the highest earners.

Spending cuts alone "will not solve our fiscal problems. We can't just cut our way out of this hole," he added. "It's going to take a balanced approach. If we're going to make spending cuts -- many of which we wouldn't make if we weren't facing such large budget deficits -- then it's only right that we ask everyone to pay their fair share."

Obama explicitly promised to veto any debt-reduction legislation that cuts benefits while failing to include higher taxes on the wealthy.

iReport: What do you think about Obama's plan?

"I will not support any plan that puts all the burden on ordinary Americans," he insisted.

Republicans responded by dismissing the plan as little more than a cheap political gimmick.

It's "a thinly veiled attempt to score political points," said Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus. "By raising taxes on job creators, Obama may win back some support from disgruntled liberal voters, but America will lose even more sorely needed jobs."

"Veto threats, a massive tax hike, phantom savings and punting on entitlement reform is not a recipe for economic or job growth Ã¢â¬â or even meaningful deficit reduction," said Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Kentucky.

"Pitting one group of Americans against another is not leadership," added House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio.

Key congressional Democrats quickly rallied to Obama's defense, calling the blueprint a serious attempt to take on one of the most contentious issues in Washington.

The "proposal is clearly moving in the right direction," said North Dakota Sen. Kent Conrad, chairman of the Senate Budget Committee. "It represents a significant and balanced plan for bringing our deficits and debt under control."

On Monday night, Obama referred to the Republican response as predictable and said the issue shows the fundamental difference between the parties on how the nation should deal with mounting federal deficits and national debt.

"What has been clear over the last two and a half years is that we have not had a willing partner," Obama told a New York fundraising event.

"Now, we've been able to get some stuff done despite that, and despite a filibuster in the Senate. But at least over the last nine months what we've seen is some irreconcilable differences, let's put it that way."

The release of Obama's blueprint is likely to set the stage for a fall dominated by harsh partisan debates over taxes and spending, as well as a 2012 presidential campaign focused on growing economic fears.

Under Obama's plan, $800 billion in revenue would be generated by allowing some of the Bush-era tax cuts for high-income households to expire, as the president has repeatedly called for. An additional $400 billion would result from capping the value of itemized deductions and other exemptions for high-income households.

Read the White House plan (PDF)

The remaining $300 billion would come from closing various tax loopholes, according to a senior administration official.

A new tax surcharge could also be imposed on millionaires: the "Buffett Rule," named after investor Warren Buffett, who argues that the richest Americans are not taxed enough.

Wealthier Americans often derive much of their income from investments, which are typically taxed at a lower rate than ordinary income such as wages. As a result, they can end up owing a lower percentage of their income in federal taxes than someone who makes less money, especially once payroll taxes are factored in.

The concept behind the Buffett Rule is that those earning more than $1 million should not be allowed to pay a lesser percentage of their income in federal taxes than Americans lower down the income scale.

Read more: On taxes and debt, left and right dare to agree

In terms of spending, Obama's plan incorporates $580 billion in mandatory cuts, including $248 billion from the politically popular Medicare program. Roughly 90% of those savings will come from reducing overpayments in the system, according to a senior administration official.

Any changes to Medicare benefits won't kick in before 2017, the official said.

An additional $72 billion will come from Medicaid and other health programs.

The president's plan does not include any Social Security reform proposals or changes to the Medicare eligibility age, reforms that have reportedly been put on the table by the administration in the past but are strongly opposed by a number of progressive Democrats.

Another $1.1 trillion in savings would be generated by winding down the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. In addition, the administration is counting savings that would result from spending caps it has proposed on future overseas contingency operations.

The administration also estimates interest savings of approximately $430 billion, a result of less borrowing and smaller annual budget shortfalls.

Roughly $450 billion in the plan would be used to pay for the American Jobs Act, the economic stimulus measure proposed by Obama last week.

Top Republicans call the president's plan a form of class warfare.

"When you pick one area of the economy and you say, 'We're going to tax those people because most people are not those people,' that's class warfare," Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-South Carolina, said Sunday on CNN's "State of the Union."

"We have a difference of opinion on how best to fix these problems," House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan, R-Wisconsin, told "Fox News Sunday." "But when the president does things like this, it leads you to believe that he's not in bipartisan consensus-making mood. He's in a political class-warfare mode and campaign mode. And that's not good for our economy."

Obama explicitly rejected the class warfare claim Monday.

"I reject the idea that asking a hedge fund manager to pay the same tax rate as a plumber or a teacher is class warfare," the president said. "I think it's just the right the thing to do. I believe the American middle class, who've been pressured relentlessly for decades, believe it's time that they were fought for as hard as the lobbyists and some lawmakers have fought to protect special treatment for billionaires and big corporations."

Democrats have blamed Republicans for blocking the Obama administration's initiatives purely for what Democrats insist are short-term political gain.

"I don't think people like that style of politics, and that's the reality ... we'll be facing in November 2012," Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Illinois, said Sunday.

Congressional action on deficit reduction is moving on multiple tracks now. Durbin said the Democratic-controlled Senate would take up Obama's jobs plan next month, while leaders in the Republican-controlled House have rejected some parts of it.

Meanwhile, a special deficit reduction commission created under last month's debt-ceiling agreement has started its work amid the longstanding political divisions on key issues.

The 12-member committee, evenly divided between Democrats and Republicans in the House and Senate, has until November 23 to draft a $1.5 trillion deficit-reduction plan that can win congressional approval by December 23. Otherwise, more than $1 trillion in across-the-board spending cuts will go into effect, on top of $900 billion in cuts already mandated under the debt ceiling deal.

The special committee "is taking this issue far more seriously than the White House," McConnell said Monday.

More than a year of rancorous negotiations on deficit reduction has failed to resolve a fundamental dispute between Republicans and Democrats involving the size of government and whether to raise tax revenue while cutting spending.

The brinkmanship of the negotiations, with uncertainty over whether the government might default if no deal was reached, was one reason that ratings agency Standard & Poor's downgraded the U.S. credit rating from AAA to AA-plus in August.

CNN's Alan Silverleib, Jeanne Sahadi, Tom Cohen and Kate Bolduan contributed to this report.

text: Washington

text: CNN

text: President

text: Barack

text: Obama

text: released

text: his

text: long

text: awaited

text: debt

text: reduction

text: plan

text: Monday

text: outlining

text: a

text: roughly

text: trillion

text: savings

text: blueprint

text: that

text: was

text: immediately

text: criticized

text: by

text: top

text: congressional

text: and

text: other

text: Republicans

text: The

text: president

text: 's

text: plan

text: includes

text: trillion

text: in

text: new

text: revenue

text: generated

text: largely

text: by

text: higher

text: taxes

text: on

text: the

text: wealthiest

text: Americans

text: a

text: proposal

text: strongly

text: opposed

text: by

text: GOP

text: leaders

text: who

text: insist

text: that

text: any

text: tax

text: increase

text: will

text: undermine

text: an

text: already

text: shaky

text: economy

text: The

text: measure

text: which

text: would

text: add

text: to

text: nearly

text: trillion

text: in

text: savings

text: signed

text: into

text: law

text: under

text: the

text: debt

text: ceiling

text: deal

text: enacted

text: in

text: August

text: does

text: not

text: include

text: changes

text: to

text: Social

text: Security

text: It

text: would

text: increase

text: Medicare

text: premiums

text: for

text: individuals

text: with

text: higher

text: incomes

text: starting

text: in

text: the

text: year

text: Obama

text: leaves

text: office

text: if

text: he

text: wins

text: a

text: second

text: term

text: We

text: are

text: not

text: going

text: to

text: have

text: a

text: one

text: sided

text: deal

text: that

text: hurts

text: the

text: folks

text: that

text: are

text: most

text: vulnerable

text: Obama

text: said

text: at

text: the

text: White

text: House

text: offering

text: a

text: defense

text: of

text: tax

text: hikes

text: on

text: the

text: highest

text: earners

text: Spending

text: cuts

text: alone

text: will

text: not

text: solve

text: our

text: fiscal

text: problems

text: We

text: ca

text: n't

text: just

text: cut

text: our

text: way

text: out

text: of

text: this

text: hole

text: he

text: added

text: It

text: 's

text: going

text: to

text: take

text: a

text: balanced

text: approach

text: If

text: we

text: 're

text: going

text: to

text: make

text: spending

text: cuts

text: many

text: of

text: which

text: we

text: would

text: n't

text: make

text: if

text: we

text: were

text: n't

text: facing

text: such

text: large

text: budget

text: deficits

text: then

text: it

text: 's

text: only

text: right

text: that

text: we

text: ask

text: everyone

text: to

text: pay

text: their

text: fair

text: share

text: Obama

text: explicitly

text: promised

text: to

text: veto

text: any

text: debt

text: reduction

text: legislation

text: that

text: cuts

text: benefits

text: while

text: failing

text: to

text: include

text: higher

text: taxes

text: on

text: the

text: wealthy

text: iReport

text: What

text: do

text: you

text: think

text: about

text: Obama

text: 's

text: plan

text: I

text: will

text: not

text: support

text: any

text: plan

text: that

text: puts

text: all

text: the

text: burden

text: on

text: ordinary

text: Americans

text: he

text: insisted

text: Republicans

text: responded

text: by

text: dismissing

text: the

text: plan

text: as

text: little

text: more

text: than

text: a

text: cheap

text: political

text: gimmick

text: It

text: 's

text: a

text: thinly

text: veiled

text: attempt

text: to

text: score

text: political

text: points

text: said

text: Republican

text: National

text: Committee

text: Chairman

text: Reince

text: Priebus

text: By

text: raising

text: taxes

text: on

text: job

text: creators

text: Obama

text: may

text: win

text: back

text: some

text: support

text: from

text: disgruntled

text: liberal

text: voters

text: but

text: America

text: will

text: lose

text: even

text: more

text: sorely

text: needed

text: jobs

text: Veto

text: threats

text: a

text: massive

text: tax

text: hike

text: phantom

text: savings

text: and

text: punting

text: on

text: entitlement

text: reform

text: is

text: not

text: a

text: recipe

text: for

text: economic

text: or

text: job

text: growth

text: Ã¢â¬â

text: or

text: even

text: meaningful

text: deficit

text: reduction

text: said

text: Senate

text: Minority

text: Leader

text: Mitch

text: McConnell

text: R

text: Kentucky

text: Pitting

text: one

text: group

text: of

text: Americans

text: against

text: another

text: is

text: not

text: leadership

text: added

text: House

text: Speaker

text: John

text: Boehner

text: R

text: Ohio

text: Key

text: congressional

text: Democrats

text: quickly

text: rallied

text: to

text: Obama

text: 's

text: defense

text: calling

text: the

text: blueprint

text: a

text: serious

text: attempt

text: to

text: take

text: on

text: one

text: of

text: the

text: most

text: contentious

text: issues

text: in

text: Washington

text: The

text: proposal

text: is

text: clearly

text: moving

text: in

text: the

text: right

text: direction

text: said

text: North

text: Dakota

text: Sen.

text: Kent

text: Conrad

text: chairman

text: of

text: the

text: Senate

text: Budget

text: Committee

text: It

text: represents

text: a

text: significant

text: and

text: balanced

text: plan

text: for

text: bringing

text: our

text: deficits

text: and

text: debt

text: under

text: control

text: On

text: Monday

text: night

text: Obama

text: referred

text: to

text: the

text: Republican

text: response

text: as

text: predictable

text: and

text: said

text: the

text: issue

text: shows

text: the

text: fundamental

text: difference

text: between

text: the

text: parties

text: on

text: how

text: the

text: nation

text: should

text: deal

text: with

text: mounting

text: federal

text: deficits

text: and

text: national

text: debt

text: What

text: has

text: been

text: clear

text: over

text: the

text: last

text: two

text: and

text: a

text: half

text: years

text: is

text: that

text: we

text: have

text: not

text: had

text: a

text: willing

text: partner

text: Obama

text: told

text: a

text: New

text: York

text: fundraising

text: event

text: Now

text: we

text: 've

text: been

text: able

text: to

text: get

text: some

text: stuff

text: done

text: despite

text: that

text: and

text: despite

text: a

text: filibuster

text: in

text: the

text: Senate

text: But

text: at

text: least

text: over

text: the

text: last

text: nine

text: months

text: what

text: we

text: 've

text: seen

text: is

text: some

text: irreconcilable

text: differences

text: let

text: 's

text: put

text: it

text: that

text: way

text: The

text: release

text: of

text: Obama

text: 's

text: blueprint

text: is

text: likely

text: to

text: set

text: the

text: stage

text: for

text: a

text: fall

text: dominated

text: by

text: harsh

text: partisan

text: debates

text: over

text: taxes

text: and

text: spending

text: as

text: well

text: as

text: a

text: presidential

text: campaign

text: focused

text: on

text: growing

text: economic

text: fears

text: Under

text: Obama

text: 's

text: plan

text: billion

text: in

text: revenue

text: would

text: be

text: generated

text: by

text: allowing

text: some

text: of

text: the

text: Bush

text: era

text: tax

text: cuts

text: for

text: high

text: income

text: households

text: to

text: expire

text: as

text: the

text: president

text: has

text: repeatedly

text: called

text: for

text: An

text: additional

text: billion

text: would

text: result

text: from

text: capping

text: the

text: value

text: of

text: itemized

text: deductions

text: and

text: other

text: exemptions

text: for

text: high

text: income

text: households

text: Read

text: the

text: White

text: House

text: plan

text: PDF

text: The

text: remaining

text: billion

text: would

text: come

text: from

text: closing

text: various

text: tax

text: loopholes

text: according

text: to

text: a

text: senior

text: administration

text: official

text: A

text: new

text: tax

text: surcharge

text: could

text: also

text: be

text: imposed

text: on

text: millionaires

text: the

text: Buffett

text: Rule

text: named

text: after

text: investor

text: Warren

text: Buffett

text: who

text: argues

text: that

text: the

text: richest

text: Americans

text: are

text: not

text: taxed

text: enough

text: Wealthier

text: Americans

text: often

text: derive

text: much

text: of

text: their

text: income

text: from

text: investments

text: which

text: are

text: typically

text: taxed

text: at

text: a

text: lower

text: rate

text: than

text: ordinary

text: income

text: such

text: as

text: wages

text: As

text: a

text: result

text: they

text: can

text: end

text: up

text: owing

text: a

text: lower

text: percentage

text: of

text: their

text: income

text: in

text: federal

text: taxes

text: than

text: someone

text: who

text: makes

text: less

text: money

text: especially

text: once

text: payroll

text: taxes

text: are

text: factored

text: in

text: The

text: concept

text: behind

text: the

text: Buffett

text: Rule

text: is

text: that

text: those

text: earning

text: more

text: than

text: million

text: should

text: not

text: be

text: allowed

text: to

text: pay

text: a

text: lesser

text: percentage

text: of

text: their

text: income

text: in

text: federal

text: taxes

text: than

text: Americans

text: lower

text: down

text: the

text: income

text: scale

text: Read

text: more

text: On

text: taxes

text: and

text: debt

text: left

text: and

text: right

text: dare

text: to

text: agree

text: In

text: terms

text: of

text: spending

text: Obama

text: 's

text: plan

text: incorporates

text: billion

text: in

text: mandatory

text: cuts

text: including

text: billion

text: from

text: the

text: politically

text: popular

text: Medicare

text: program

text: Roughly

text: of

text: those

text: savings

text: will

text: come

text: from

text: reducing

text: overpayments

text: in

text: the

text: system

text: according

text: to

text: a

text: senior

text: administration

text: official

text: Any

text: changes

text: to

text: Medicare

text: benefits

text: wo

text: n't

text: kick

text: in

text: before

text: the

text: official

text: said

text: An

text: additional

text: billion

text: will

text: come

text: from

text: Medicaid

text: and

text: other

text: health

text: programs

text: The

text: president

text: 's

text: plan

text: does

text: not

text: include

text: any

text: Social

text: Security

text: reform

text: proposals

text: or

text: changes

text: to

text: the

text: Medicare

text: eligibility

text: age

text: reforms

text: that

text: have

text: reportedly

text: been

text: put

text: on

text: the

text: table

text: by

text: the

text: administration

text: in

text: the

text: past

text: but

text: are

text: strongly

text: opposed

text: by

text: a

text: number

text: of

text: progressive

text: Democrats

text: Another

text: trillion

text: in

text: savings

text: would

text: be

text: generated

text: by

text: winding

text: down

text: the

text: wars

text: in

text: Iraq

text: and

text: Afghanistan

text: In

text: addition

text: the

text: administration

text: is

text: counting

text: savings

text: that

text: would

text: result

text: from

text: spending

text: caps

text: it

text: has

text: proposed

text: on

text: future

text: overseas

text: contingency

text: operations

text: The

text: administration

text: also

text: estimates

text: interest

text: savings

text: of

text: approximately

text: billion

text: a

text: result

text: of

text: less

text: borrowing

text: and

text: smaller

text: annual

text: budget

text: shortfalls

text: Roughly

text: billion

text: in

text: the

text: plan

text: would

text: be

text: used

text: to

text: pay

text: for

text: the

text: American

text: Jobs

text: Act

text: the

text: economic

text: stimulus

text: measure

text: proposed

text: by

text: Obama

text: last

text: week

text: Top

text: Republicans

text: call

text: the

text: president

text: 's

text: plan

text: a

text: form

text: of

text: class

text: warfare

text: When

text: you

text: pick

text: one

text: area

text: of

text: the

text: economy

text: and

text: you

text: say

text: We

text: 're

text: going

text: to

text: tax

text: those

text: people

text: because

text: most

text: people

text: are

text: not

text: those

text: people

text: that

text: 's

text: class

text: warfare

text: Sen.

text: Lindsey

text: Graham

text: R

text: South

text: Carolina

text: said

text: Sunday

text: on

text: CNN

text: 's

text: State

text: of

text: the

text: Union

text: We

text: have

text: a

text: difference

text: of

text: opinion

text: on

text: how

text: best

text: to

text: fix

text: these

text: problems

text: House

text: Budget

text: Committee

text: Chairman

text: Paul

text: Ryan

text: R

text: Wisconsin

text: told

text: Fox

text: News

text: Sunday

text: But

text: when

text: the

text: president

text: does

text: things

text: like

text: this

text: it

text: leads

text: you

text: to

text: believe

text: that

text: he

text: 's

text: not

text: in

text: bipartisan

text: consensus

text: making

text: mood

text: He

text: 's

text: in

text: a

text: political

text: class

text: warfare

text: mode

text: and

text: campaign

text: mode

text: And

text: that

text: 's

text: not

text: good

text: for

text: our

text: economy

text: Obama

text: explicitly

text: rejected

text: the

text: class

text: warfare

text: claim

text: Monday

text: I

text: reject

text: the

text: idea

text: that

text: asking

text: a

text: hedge

text: fund

text: manager

text: to

text: pay

text: the

text: same

text: tax

text: rate

text: as

text: a

text: plumber

text: or

text: a

text: teacher

text: is

text: class

text: warfare

text: the

text: president

text: said

text: I

text: think

text: it

text: 's

text: just

text: the

text: right

text: the

text: thing

text: to

text: do

text: I

text: believe

text: the

text: American

text: middle

text: class

text: who

text: 've

text: been

text: pressured

text: relentlessly

text: for

text: decades

text: believe

text: it

text: 's

text: time

text: that

text: they

text: were

text: fought

text: for

text: as

text: hard

text: as

text: the

text: lobbyists

text: and

text: some

text: lawmakers

text: have

text: fought

text: to

text: protect

text: special

text: treatment

text: for

text: billionaires

text: and

text: big

text: corporations

text: Democrats

text: have

text: blamed

text: Republicans

text: for

text: blocking

text: the

text: Obama

text: administration

text: 's

text: initiatives

text: purely

text: for

text: what

text: Democrats

text: insist

text: are

text: short

text: term

text: political

text: gain

text: I

text: do

text: n't

text: think

text: people

text: like

text: that

text: style

text: of

text: politics

text: and

text: that

text: 's

text: the

text: reality

text: we

text: 'll

text: be

text: facing

text: in

text: November

text: Sen.

text: Dick

text: Durbin

text: D

text: Illinois

text: said

text: Sunday

text: Congressional

text: action

text: on

text: deficit

text: reduction

text: is

text: moving

text: on

text: multiple

text: tracks

text: now

text: Durbin

text: said

text: the

text: Democratic

text: controlled

text: Senate

text: would

text: take

text: up

text: Obama

text: 's

text: jobs

text: plan

text: next

text: month

text: while

text: leaders

text: in

text: the

text: Republican

text: controlled

text: House

text: have

text: rejected

text: some

text: parts

text: of

text: it

text: Meanwhile

text: a

text: special

text: deficit

text: reduction

text: commission

text: created

text: under

text: last

text: month

text: 's

text: debt

text: ceiling

text: agreement

text: has

text: started

text: its

text: work

text: amid

text: the

text: longstanding

text: political

text: divisions

text: on

text: key

text: issues

text: The

text: committee

text: evenly

text: divided

text: between

text: Democrats

text: and

text: Republicans

text: in

text: the

text: House

text: and

text: Senate

text: has

text: until

text: November

text: to

text: draft

text: a

text: trillion

text: deficit

text: reduction

text: plan

text: that

text: can

text: win

text: congressional

text: approval

text: by

text: December

text: Otherwise

text: more

text: than

text: trillion

text: in

text: across

text: the

text: board

text: spending

text: cuts

text: will

text: go

text: into

text: effect

text: on

text: top

text: of

text: billion

text: in

text: cuts

text: already

text: mandated

text: under

text: the

text: debt

text: ceiling

text: deal

text: The

text: special

text: committee

text: is

text: taking

text: this

text: issue

text: far

text: more

text: seriously

text: than

text: the

text: White

text: House

text: McConnell

text: said

text: Monday

text: More

text: than

text: a

text: year

text: of

text: rancorous

text: negotiations

text: on

text: deficit

text: reduction

text: has

text: failed

text: to

text: resolve

text: a

text: fundamental

text: dispute

text: between

text: Republicans

text: and

text: Democrats

text: involving

text: the

text: size

text: of

text: government

text: and

text: whether

text: to

text: raise

text: tax

text: revenue

text: while

text: cutting

text: spending

text: The

text: brinkmanship

text: of

text: the

text: negotiations

text: with

text: uncertainty

text: over

text: whether

text: the

text: government

text: might

text: default

text: if

text: no

text: deal

text: was

text: reached

text: was

text: one

text: reason

text: that

text: ratings

text: agency

text: Standard

text: Poor

text: 's

text: downgraded

text: the

text: U.S.

text: credit

text: rating

text: from

text: AAA

text: to

text: AA

text: plus

text: in

text: August

text: CNN

text: 's

text: Alan

text: Silverleib

text: Jeanne

text: Sahadi

text: Tom

text: Cohen

text: and

text: Kate

text: Bolduan

text: contributed

text: to

text: this

text: report

question: The plan calls for $1.5 trillion in what?

answer: new revenue

text: new revenue

question: how many savings would be realized by ending wars in Iraq, Afghanistan?

answer: $3 trillion

text: $3 trillion

question: Over $1 trillion in savings would be realized by ending what?

answer: down the wars in Iraq and Afghanis

text: down the wars in Iraq and Afghanis

question: How much savings would be realized from ending wars?

answer: ther $1.1 tril

text: ther $1.1 tril