Top 5 Most Shocking Economic Moments of 2016

In a year where everything from populism to petroleum was in turmoil, 2016 had no shortage of nail-biter financial moments. As it draws to a close, experts reflect on the most significant – and to some, most alarming – economic moments and how they will affect the year ahead.

Reform the Electoral College: Community Voices

Are you familiar with the following individuals: Bonnie Dunkelman, Carole DePaola, Mary Anne Christie, or Curt Braden? Like a great majority of Ohioans, probably not. However, if you voted in the Presidential election on November 8, chances are you voted for two of them.

AP News in Brief at 6:04 a.m. EST

Moscow is hoping Donald Trump will reconsider the sanctions the U.S. is levying in response to its finding of election hacking, a wait-and-see strategy bolstered by the American president-elect’s own approving words for Russian President Vladimir Putin. Putin has essentially put relations with the U.S. on hold until Trump replaces President Barack Obama on Jan. 20. Though his foreign minister encouraged him to slap back at Washington for the sanctions imposed by Obama, Putin decided that Russia wouldn’t immediately retaliate.

Congress must act on voting rights

President-elect Donald Trump greets Sen. Jeff Sessions, Trump’s picks for attorney general, during a thank you rally in Ladd-Peebles Stadium on Dec. 17 in Mobile, Alabama. In Sessions, Trump has found an ally to curtail minority voting rights.

White births, migration explain why Texas remains a red state

Erika Jaramillo, center, and others hold signs supporting Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton during a Democratic National Convention watch party in San Antonio on July 26. In Texas, where 39 percent of the population is Hispanic, Democrats have been shut out of statewide elections for decades. That is likely to occur for decades to come if the statistic bear out.

Ex-POW from Hillary Clinton campaign ads dies

Joel Sollender, a Jewish World War II veteran and former prisoner of war, who appeared in an ad on behalf of Democrat presidential nominee Hillary Clinton, September, 2016. Joel Sollender, a World War II prisoner of war who appeared in television ads for Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign, has died.

Ex-Lawmaker Blasts Clinton for Being Too Insular

Former Rep. George Miller chastised the strategy of Hillary Clinton’s campaign, which he called an “insular group of people who were smoking one another’s exhaust,” the East Bay Times reports. Said Miller: “We didn’t go to Wisconsin at the end of the campaign because they’re always with us? Michigan, where you saved the automobile industry and tens of thousands of jobs and you never went to tell them about it?” He added: “You never get to that point in my mind in politics.

Trump on Putina s response to U.S. sanctions: a I always knew he was very smarta

After President Barack Obama on Thursday announced retaliatory measures against the Russian government for what the U.S. has concluded were efforts to interfere in the election, President-elect Donald Trump’s response was terse and dismissive, saying it was time to “move on to bigger and better things.” But after Russian President Vladimir Putin said Friday that he would not respond in kind to the U.S. actions – preferring to wait until the new administration takes office – Trump weighed in with high praise.

Trump praises Putin’s response to sanctions, calls Russian leader ‘very smart!’

President-elect Donald Trump on Friday expressed his appreciation to Vladimir Putin over the Russian president’s announcement that he would not expel American diplomats in response to new U.S. hacking sanctions as a gesture to the incoming administration.  The tweet is Trump’s latest nod to Putin, whom he has praised as a strong leader – inspiring considerable backlash from American politicians from both parties who call the Russian president an authoritarian leader who poses a danger to U.S. interests.

With Putin, the Danger Isn’t a Non-Response

The New York Times editorial board is pleased that President Obama has taken some retaliatory actions against Vladimir Putin, but I found part of their reasoning very interesting. While it is definitely too late, and may also be too little, there should be no doubt about the correctness of President Obama ‘s decision to retaliate against Russia for hacking American computers and trying to influence the 2016 presidential election.

Where suburban precincts changed from the GOP to Clinton

Five out of six Chicago-area counties voted for Hillary Clinton for president on Nov. 8, but our analysis of unofficial returns shows that many precincts in those counties had more Republican votes cast in the March primary. We took our analysis of primary election results — which showed whether a precinct had more Democratic or Republican voters — and compared that to unofficial precinct results from the general election in November.

U.S. punishes Russia for hacking campaign

HONOLULU – The U.S. struck back Thursday at Russia for hacking the U.S. presidential campaign with a sweeping set of punishments targeting Russia’s spy agencies and diplomats. The U.S. said Russia must bear costs for its actions, but Moscow called the Obama administration “losers” and threatened retaliation.

Trump Dismisses Russia Sanctions: – Time for Our Country to Move On’

President-elect Donald Trump appeared to dismiss the sanctions imposed against Russia for its alleged cyberattack on the U.S., saying it was “time for our country to move on” and still not acknowledging the Kremlin’s role in meddling in the presidential election. “It’s time for our country to move on to bigger and better things,” Trump said in a statement.

UPDATE 1-FBI analysis fingers Russian spy agencies for U.S. election hacks

Dec 29 The FBI squarely blamed Russian intelligence services on Thursday for meddling in the 2016 U.S. presidential election, releasing the most definitive report yet on the issue, including samples of malicious computer code said to have been used in a broad hacking campaign. Starting in mid-2015, Russia’s foreign intelligence agency, the FSB, emailed a malicious link to more than 1,000 recipients, including U.S. government targets, the Federal Bureau of Investigation said in a 13-page report co-authored with the Department of Homeland Security.

a Faithless electorsa in Washington face $1,000 fines

Democratic electors Phillip Tyler, left, and Esther John fill out their ballots with ceremonial plastic “quill” pens during a meeting of Washington state’s Electoral College Monday, Dec. 19, 2016, in Olympia, Wash. For the first time in four decades, members of the Electoral College in Washington state broke from the state’s popular vote for president, with four electors casting their votes for candidates other than Democrat Hillary Clinton.

US punishes Russia for hacking presidential campaign

The United States struck back Thursday at Russia for hacking the U.S. presidential campaign with a sweeping set of punishments targeting Russia’s spy agencies and diplomats. The U.S. said Russia must bear costs for its actions, but Moscow called the Obama administration “losers” and threatened retaliation.

When telling the truth is actually dishonest

In the taxonomy of deception, many believe that the worst kind of lie is one of “commission” – intentionally misleading someone by knowingly making a false statement. But another common type of deception – one many have witnessed but probably didn’t know what to call – may be viewed just as badly.

U.S. punishes Russia for election hacking with sanctions, expulsion of diplomats

The Obama administration announced Thursday the expulsion of 35 Russian diplomats and new sanctions as punishment for meddling in the U.S. presidential election. The White House and the Treasury Department announced sanctions against Russia’s main intelligence organizations — the Federal Security Service, which is the main successor to the KGB, and the GRU, Russia’s military intelligence operation.

Punishment for Alleged Russian Hacking Expected to Be Announced Today

The Obama administration later today is expected to announce retaliatory steps against Russia for a cyber assault on Democratic political organizations during the 2016 presidential campaign, according to sources familiar with the matter. Federal authorities are also expected to expand on why Washington is confident that Russia was behind the hacks, which some officials believe may have influenced the U.S. presidential election .

Disney…Japanese style: What it’s like to stay at Tokyo Disney

Think YOU had a hard time at the airport? Hilarious images capture weary travellers at the end of their tether Now THAT’S a princely sum! Historic hotel with 74 bedrooms built by the Emperor of Austria could be your renovation project… for A 1million From seriously cool boutique hotels to ancient streets bursting with gastronomic delicacies and the breath-taking St John’s Co Cathedral: Why Valletta is the latest city-break hot spot What IS the etiquette for talking to strangers on public transport? A psychologist reveals all Fly to New York for A 56: Norwegian Air to offer cheapest transatlantic flight yet Is global warming going to cancel the ski season? Popular resorts are completely shut down after no snow falls for a MONTH and temperatures soar leaving 45,000 people out of work A yoke-al brawl! Spanish revellers get VERY messy with flour and eggs as they celebrate town’s … (more)

Disney…Japanese style: What it’s like to stay at Tokyo Disney

Think YOU had a hard time at the airport? Hilarious images capture weary travellers at the end of their tether Now THAT’S a princely sum! Historic hotel with 74 bedrooms built by the Emperor of Austria could be your renovation project… for A 1million From seriously cool boutique hotels to ancient streets bursting with gastronomic delicacies and the breath-taking St John’s Co Cathedral: Why Valletta is the latest city-break hot spot What IS the etiquette for talking to strangers on public transport? A psychologist reveals all Fly to New York for A 56: Norwegian Air to offer cheapest transatlantic flight yet Is global warming going to cancel the ski season? Popular resorts are completely shut down after no snow falls for a MONTH and temperatures soar leaving 45,000 people out of work A yoke-al brawl! Spanish revellers get VERY messy with flour and eggs as they celebrate town’s … (more)

U.S. set to announce response to Russian election hacking: sources

The Obama administration plans to announce on Thursday a series of retaliatory measures against Russia for hacking into U.S. political institutions and individuals and leaking information in an effort to help President-elect Donald Trump and other Republican candidates, two U.S. officials said on Wednesday. Both officials declined to specify what actions President Barack Obama has approved, but said targeted economic sanctions, indictments, leaking information to embarrass Russian officials or oligarchs, and restrictions on Russian diplomats in the United States are among steps that have been discussed.

Top Clinton Fundraiser SelectedFor Key Democratic Post

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee announced a new finance director for the 2018 election season, according to a Wednesday report in Politico’s Playbook. Mike Smith previously served as finance chair of the campaign to elect Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, where he reportedly managed a 5,000-person high-profile donor list.

A Very Sad-Looking Hillary Clinton SpottedEating Breakfast at New York Resort

Since Election Day, one of the favorite pastimes of the media has been to catch a glimpse of the person who was expected to be our President-elect. Following her shocking loss to Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton has largely stayed out of the public eye, making only a handful of appearances, such as Harry Reid’s portrait unveiling and a party for the millionaires who donated to her campaign.

Obama to sanction Russia over ‘election meddling’

The Obama administration is preparing to announce a series of sanctions against Russia for meddling in the presidential election, American officials briefed on the plans told CNN on Wednesday. The actions are expected to include expanded sanctions and diplomatic measures, in what the administration deems a proportional response to a Russian operation that went beyond cyber hacking activities common among nations.

US to retaliate against Russia for cyber-meddling in the Presidential elections11 min ago

Washington, Dec 29: President Barack Obama’s administration is poised to announce a series of retaliatory measures against Russia over its cyber-meddling in the US election, reports have said. Obama has all but accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of personally ordering an audacious cyber hack that many Democrats believe damaged Hillary Clinton’s chances in November’s closely fought election with Republican foe Donald Trump.