American Morning
How much money will Obama's 'Buffett Tax' generate and will it make a real difference to the deficit?
This afternoon, President Obama will propose a "Buffett Tax" on people making more than $1 million a year as a part of his deficit recommendations to Congress, intended to generate $1.5 trillion dollars in new revenue, the majority of which will come from high-income households.
Obama's plan details that $800 billion will come from letting Bush-era tax cuts for the wealthy expire, and another $400 billion will come from capping the value of itemized deductions and other exemptions for high-income housholds. The final $300 billion will come from closing loopholes that benefit oil and gas companies, private jet owners, and investment fund managers.
Jay Powell, Treasury Under Secretary under President George H.W. Bush, discusses the effectiveness of Obama's proposal on American Morning today and weighs in on whether or not the "Buffet Tax" is likely to make a real difference in the national deficit.
How realistic is the possibility that class riots could happen in the United States?
The income gap in America is growing and threatening to further divide wealthy Americans and the middle class as the unemployment crisis continues.
From 1970-2008, the wealthiest Americans saw their incomes grow by $385%, or an average of $5.6 million dollars, while 90% of workers, who on average get paid the least, lost 1% of their total incomes.
In response to the persisting jobs crisis, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg commented on Friday that if the unemployment problem continues, he is worried that the same type of riots that swept through Europe and North Africa could happen in America.
Today on American Morning, Frank Gilliam Jr., Dean of the Luskin School of Public Affairs at UCLA, sits down with Christine Romans to discuss the possibility of class riots and the growing income gap in the United States.
Two deadly accidents raise questions about the saftey of air shows
Nine people were killed and nearly 70 were injured at an air show in Reno, Nevada this past Friday after a pilot lost control of his vintage plane during an air race and plummeted toward thousands of spectators.
Another accident occurred on Saturday, when the pilot of an aircraft taking part in a West Virginia show was killed when his plane plunged into a runway and exploded.
Mark Rosekind, National Transportation Safety Board member, weighs in on these accidents on American Morning today, explaining whether or not there are enough regulation at these air shows and if they are safe events.
Could Obama's new tax plan really incite 'class warfare?' John Avlon and Errol Louis discuss
President Obama will unveil a plan today to cut the deficit by $3 trillion over the next decade. A large part of the proposal is expected to be based on raising taxes on Americans making more than $1 million a year.
Yesterday, Senator Lindsay Graham said that the President's tax plan would create "class warfare."
Today on American Morning, CNN contributors John Avlon and Errol Louis respond to this comment and explain the President's proposal. They also discuss their new book, "Deadline Artists: America's Greatest Newspaper Columns," in which they offer a compilation of iconic newspaper columns from legends like Hunter S. Thompson, Art Buchwald and William F. Buckley.
Talk Back: Why is evolution such a touchy subject?
[cnn-photo-caption image=http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2011/images/08/30/costello_vert.jpg width=200 height=230 align="right"]
From CNN's Carol Costello:
Charles Darwin's theory of evolution was published in 1859, but the topic is as controversial today as it was then. Although the vast majority of scientists accept evolution as a fact, 41% of Americans think evolution is false, or likely to be false, according to the latest CNN/ORC poll.
As a result, American book publishers have shied away from the topic. According to Daniel Luxton, author of children"s book, "Evolution: How We and All Living Things Came to Be," no American publisher would print his book, fearing that the controversial topic would be a tough sell. However, the book is a hit in Canada, where it has been nominated for several literary prizes.
Courts have squashed efforts to have alternative theories - such as "intelligent design" - taught in schools, ruling that it has more to do with religion than science. Nevertheless, the subject remains a political hot topic.
Talk Back: Why is evolution such a touchy subject?
Let us know what you think. Your answer may be read on this morning's broadcast.
CNN Heroes: Nourishing New York's low-income communities
New York (CNN) - When Gina Keatley first moved to New York to attend culinary school, she noticed that many of her neighbors were missing limbs.
"I lived on 99th Street across from some projects," she said. "I would walk to the train and think, 'Why are there so many amputees?'"
Keatley found out that many of them had to have amputations because of complications from diabetes. Diabetes can reduce blood flow to extremities and cause nerve damage, and sometimes amputations are necessary if serious infection sets in and there is severe damage to the tissue and bone.
The neighborhood where Keatley lived, East Harlem, has the highest diabetes rate in Manhattan, according to city health officials. It also has the highest obesity rate: One-third of adult residents are obese or overweight.
"It's so shocking to me to see people who are poor and unhealthy and literally dying in the street," said Keatley, an award-winning chef and nutritionist.
About this Show
Welcome to the American Morning blog where you can get daily news updates from American Morning's reporters and producers. Join us for "the most news in the morning," weekdays from 6-9 a.m. ET, only on CNN.
On Twitter
