DECEMBER 20 QUIZ
1) Last week, the Congress passed a bill putting an end to what policy?
a) The “Don’t ask, don’t tell” policy on gays in the military
The bill passed the House on Wednesday by a vote of 250 to 175. In Saturday’s Senate vote, eight Republicans and two independents joined fifty-five Democratic Senators in voting to repeal the policy and allow gays to serve openly. https://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20026108-503544.html
2) Last week, the Congress failed to pass a bill that would have created a conditional path to citizenship for some illegal immigrants. What was the bill called?
c) The DREAM Act
The bill passed the House by a vote of 216-198. A majority of Senators supported the bill but a filibuster (backed by 31 Republicans and 6 Democrats) prevented a Senate vote from taking place. https://www.politico.com/news/stories/1210/46573.html
3) President Obama signed a law last week that prevented the Bush income tax cuts from expiring. The law also cuts Social Security tax rates from the current 6.2% (on the first $108,600 a worker makes) to what?
c) 4.2%
Many liberal Democrats voted no on the bill because it keeps income tax cuts for the wealthy in place. Many conservative Republicans voted no on the bill because it is estimated to add 800-900 billion dollars to the national debt. https://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101218/ap_on_go_co/us_tax_cuts
4) Researchers recently found bone fragments in the South Pacific that they believe may be remains of what famous individual?
c) Amelia Earhart
Earhart and her navigator Fred Noonan disappeared while trying to fly around the world in 1937. The remains were found on the uninhabited island of Nikumaroro which is part of the South Pacific nation of Kiribati.
5) An armed bandit stole $1.5 million in chips from what Las Vegas casino last week?
d) The Bellagio
The chips (which are probably only redeemable at the Bellagio) might be embedded with a radio tracking device. https://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Latest-News-Wires/2010/1215/Bellagio-robbery-results-in-1.5M-in-chips-stolen-by-armed-bandit
6) The legislature of this South American country recently gave its president (Hugo Chavez) emergency power to rule “by decree” until mid-2012. What country’s legislature did this?
d) Venezuela
The newly elected legislature that is scheduled to take office in January 2011 is viewed as less friendly to Pres. Chavez than the current legislature. So the current legislature simply gave Chavez dictatorial powers to rule as he sees fit, regardless of what the new legislature does.
https://www.thenewstribune.com/2010/12/17/1469247/venezuela-congress-set-to-give.html
7) On Monday, United States District Court Henry Hudson ruled that the “individual mandate” section of last year’s health care reform law was unconstitutional. Judge Hudson is a District Court judge in what state?
b) Virginia
Judge Hudson ruled that Congress exceeded its powers under the Commerce Clause when it required individuals to purchase health insurance. Other District Court judges around the country have reached the opposite conclusion. It is expected that the Supreme Court of the United States will eventually make a definitive ruling on the constitutionality of the law.
https://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/14/health/policy/14health.html?_r=1
8) The Board of Supervisors of what city recently banned Happy Meals?
a) San Francisco
Technically, the measure prevents restaurants from offering toys with meals that exceed set levels of fat, calories, and sugar. https://articles.latimes.com/2010/nov/02/business/la-fi-happy-meals-20101103
9) The CIA pulled its top spy out of this country Thursday after his identity was exposed in a threatened lawsuit. What country?
b) Pakistan
The move comes at a time of increasing American drone attacks on Pakistani militants living near the Afghan border. The CIA suspects that the Pakistani spy service was behind the leak.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/12/17/AR2010121703105.html
10) Star pitcher Cliff lee recently surprised the sports world by signing a five year contract with what team?
c) Philadelphia Phillies
The contract will pay Lee somewhere between $120 - $135 million dollars over five or six years. Lee reportedly turned down a seven year $145 million offer from the Yankees.
https://mlb.fanhouse.com/2010/12/14/report-cliff-lee-to-sign-with-phillies/