October 2, 2012 - Morning Headlines

- Tax hikes for citizens and trouble for the country is the message that is resounding if the US Congress doesn't do something about the impending "fiscal cliff" scheduled to hit after the turn of the year (CNN Money): http://money.cnn.com/2012/10/01/pf/taxes/fiscal-cliff-tax/index.html?iid=Lead&hpt=hp_t3

- A ruling on Pennsylvania's photo ID law is required to be made today, just 5 weeks before the general election (Yahoo!): http://news.yahoo.com/pa-voter-id-law-ruling-could-mean-political-063903743.html

- The ACLU claims that electronic monitoring of communications by the Justice department is up as much as 60% under President Obama. These monitorings do not record content, but they do monitor time of call, number called, etc. (Fox News): http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/10/01/aclu-police-use-phone-other-electronic-device-tracking-up-as-much-as-60-percent/?test=latestnews

*** Be sure to check the un-skewed polls database at the top of the blog ***

Un-skewed State Polls Update

This is just a quick update post to put the un-skewed poll tracker front and center. Check it out here:

http://loudmouthelephant.blogspot.com/2012/09/lme-presidential-poll-tracker-database.html

Key battleground polls have been released over the weekend and today, and while these polls show some significant leads for Obama, once the data is scrubbed and un-skewed, the picture isn't as bleak for Romney. In fact, in North Carolina, the un-skewed calculation of PPP's poll shows Romney with a 9 point lead. Check it out!

October 1, 2012 - Morning Headlines

- Today marks the beginning of the next Supreme Court term. This year's docket contains some high-profile cases such as Affirmative Action, Gay Marriage, and Voter's Rights issues (ABC News): http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory/big-supreme-court-term-starts-monday-17363207#.UGl1DJj7KWg

- California governor Jerry Brown signed legislation that would give inmates that were sentenced as juveniles and are serving life sentences without parole the ability to have their case for release heard after 15 years. Judges, upon reviewing the cases, can then sentence the inmates to 25 years to live, giving the prisoners a chance at freedom some day (NBC News): http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/49233283/ns/us_news-crime_and_courts/

- Reports show that the Syrian government is systematically eliminating suspected rebel strongholds by destroying civilian neighborhoods in Hama. Thousands of refugees have been displaced (CNN): http://www.cnn.com/2012/10/01/world/meast/syria-hama-neighborhood/index.html?hpt=hp_t1