Routines Restart, if With Less Power and Public Transit

By JAMES BARRON
Published: October 31, 2012
Still hobbled by power failures and waterlogged transit, the New York region struggled to return to the rhythms of daily life on Wednesday, while facing the reality of a prolonged and daunting period of recovery.


Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg was expected to open the New York Stock Exchange on Wednesday morning after a two-day closing, the first for weather-related reasons since 1888, as Wall Street and other businesses began to shake off the storm and return to work.

But as the skies cleared and the sun poked out over Manhattan for the first time in days, the morning commute quickly froze to gridlock. People who normally took the subway or regional rail lines were forced into taxis or their own cars, clogging the streets. Drivers reported delays of hours, with vehicles lined up at the major crossings and at parking garages.

More than 4,000 taxis, which for the moment could be shared among harried commuters, offered another partial lifeline to those cut off by the continued suspension of subway service. Some ferries were expected to be crossing between New Jersey and Manhattan.

Northeast Awakes to Huge Damage in Storm’s Path; Millions Without Power

By JAMES BARRON and J. DAVID GOODMAN

As Hurricane Sandy churned inland as a downgraded storm, residents up and down the battered mid-Atlantic region woke on Tuesday to lingering waters, darkened homes and the daunting task of cleaning up from once-in-a-generation storm surges and their devastating effects.
Power remained out for roughly six million people, including a large swath of Manhattan. Early risers stepped out into debris-littered streets that remained mostly deserted as residents awaited dawn to shed light on the extent of the damage. Bridges remained closed, and seven subway tunnels under the East River remained flooded.

The storm was the most destructive in the 108-year history of New York City’s subway system, said Joseph J. Lhota, the chairman of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, in an early morning statement. “We are assessing the extent of the damage and beginning the process of recovery,” he said, but did not provide a timetable for restoring transit service to a paralyzed city.

At least 16 deaths — including 7 in the New York region — were tied to the storm, which toppled trees and sparked fires in several areas, The Associated Press reported.

Nine hours after making landfall at 8 p.m. on Monday, the storm — already reclassified as a post-tropical cyclone — weakened as it passed west across southern Pennsylvania, though it still packed maximum sustained winds of 65 miles per hour, the National Hurricane Center said. It was expected to turn north and head for Canada late on Tuesday.

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October 25 2012 14:52:10

5 things we learned in Monday's debate

By Mark Preston, CNN Political Director

Boca Raton, Florida (CNN) -- The third and final presidential debate proved to be a substantive, if not sharp, discussion on the major issues facing the nation as both candidates tried in earnest to persuade the small sliver of undecideds to vote for them.
While foreign policy was the overarching theme, it was no surprise that the domestic economy shared center stage as President Barack Obama and Mitt Romney each sought to score points on the No. 1 issue of this election.
In two weeks, the long and bitter campaign will come to a close -- barring an election controversy [shudder the thought] -- and Monday night's debate will help frame the discussion in the closing days.
Reflecting on the 90-minute matchup in Florida, here are five takeaways:

1. Heated, but measured disagreements

The level of animosity between the two candidates was apparent but unlike last week, it was capped due in a large part to the debate format and setting.
It is much more difficult to bring a level of personal anger to a boiling point while seated at a table. Sitting on high chairs with the ability to walk freely on the stage seems to help fuel rage, while sitting together at a table appears to have a cooling affect.

Obama wins final debate, but does it matter?

Daniel Cohn-Bendit Why should the Germans pay the debts of the Greeks?

Weil die Griechen auch schon für die Deutschen Schulden bezahlt haben. 1953 gab es einen Schuldenschnitt für die deutschen Kriegsschulden des Ersten Weltkrieges, an dem sich Griechenland beteiligte. Auch dieser Schritt half der jungen Bundesrepublik auf die Beine. Leute wie Herr Dobrindt sollten lieber ins Geschichtsbuch gucken, bevor sie ihren Populismus absondern.

Griechenland hat Daten manipuliert, die Korruption wucherte, wer Steuern zahlte, war der Dumme. Das wiegt schwer.

Sicherlich, Griechenland hat schwere Fehler gemacht. Das politische System war korrupt. Nur dürfen wir nicht vergessen: Athen hatte die vergangenen zehn, fünfzehn Jahren einen Wehr-Etat gehabt in Höhe von vier Prozent des griechischen Inlandsproduktes. Deutsche Regierungen hat das nicht gestört, weil die Griechen fleißig Waffen aus Deutschland und Frankreich gekauft haben. Niemand ist im Europäischen Rat aufgestanden und hat gesagt: "Leute, hört auf, das kann nicht gutgehen."

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Debt Impasse Shadows Race for Presidency

WASHINGTON — President Obama and Mitt Romney will again debate their visions for the next four years on Tuesday night, and if the campaign so far is any guide, they will not acknowledge that the winner’s agenda could depend on the fiscal showdown between Election Day and Inauguration Day.

If Mr. Romney wins, Republicans say they would seek to delay the year-end deadline for a bipartisan deal by up to a year to give him time to flesh out his budget plans and get Democrats to agree. But even if Democrats and the financial markets go along with the delay, the months before Mr. Romney’s swearing-in could be as crucial to his presidency as the transition period was for Mr. Obama four years ago, when the economic crisis led him to draft a big stimulus package while President George W. Bush still occupied the White House.

Mr. Romney’s ability to foster cooperation at the outset could determine his success on a range of issues. Yet Democrats have been dismissive, at best, about his budget plans, which have few specifics on how Mr. Romney would reduce deficits. He has mostly spoken about cutting taxes and increasing military spending.

Mr. Obama, if he loses, would still be president for the lame-duck Congress, but he would have limited leverage. If he gets another four years in the White House, he already has plans to go right back on the campaign trail to build support for his deficit-reduction framework, Democrats say, and administration officials are debating whether Mr. Obama should make some concession to Republicans to spur negotiations.

Polls: Obama, Romney in tight race

9:20AM EDT October 15. 2012 - Another poll, another close result between President Obama and Mitt Romney.
Obama leads by a single point -- 49%-48% -- in the latest Politico/George Washington University Battleground Poll released Monday morning, well within the margin of error.
On the other hand, Romney leads 50%-48% in the poll's 10 top "battleground states:" Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Michigan, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Ohio, Virginia and Wisconsin.
A Washington Post-ABC News poll gives Obama a 49%-46% lead among likely voters.
Various polls also show a tossup race in the Electoral College.
Obama once led most polls, but things have tightened in recent days for one major reason: The first debate on Oct. 3, perceived by many as a Romney victory.
Obama and Romney debate again Tuesday night in New York, and a third time a week from tonight in Boca Raton, Fla.
Some other highlights of the Politico-GWU Battleground Poll:
Of the 86% of voters who watched the first presidential debate, three in four declared Romney the winner; only 16% thought Obama prevailed.
Romney leads with independents by 8 points, 49%-41%.
Obama still leads with women, 54%-43%.
 Regardless of whom they're supporting, only 53% of voters now believe Obama will win the election (down from 61% before the first presidential debate)
http://www.theworldpress.com/press/worldpress/usapress/usatoday.htm