Senate approved by the house late last night. We will speak with economist juliet schor. After years of extreme weather, will 2013 be year zero in the battle over Climate Change . Were closer now them have ever been to what we need to do. I think we peeled away the layers of the onion and have gotten to the heart of things. As of tonight, were going after the fossil fuel industries. [applause] will host a discussion between Bill Mckibben, founder of 350. Org, and journalist Christian Parenti. He is author of tropic of chaos Climate Change and the new geography of violence. If the government allowed the epa to do what it must do, raise the price of burning fossil fuels, that would help direct private money into renewable energy, help put people back to work. In the face of this crisis, we have to think seriously and creatively about the role of government. All of that and more coming up. This is democracy now , democracynow. Org, the war and peace report. Im amy goodman. President obama is expected to sign the bill to deter the brunt of tax hikes and spending cuts known as the fiscal cliff that took effect at midnight yesterday. The compromise bill passed by the house late tuesday makes bush tax cuts permanent for about 99 of households. It allows tax increases of about 5 only on incomes above 400,000 for individuals or 450,000 for couples. The deal extends Unemployment Benefits, renews tax credits geared toward lowincome families, and delays automatic cuts for military and other spending for two months. President obama compromised on the tax issue after initially backing increases on family incomes of more than 250,000. Speaking tuesday at the white house, obama claimed the deal is a victory. The central premise of my campaign for president was to change the tax code that was too skewed toward the wealthy and the expense of working middle class americans. Tonight, we have done that. Thanks to the votes of democrats and republicans in congress, i will sign a law that raises taxi taxes on the wealthiest 2 percent of americans while preventing a middleclass tax hike that could have sent us back into recession and had a severe impact on families all across america. House republicans initially condemned the compromise bill for not cutting deeply enough into social programs. Still, 85 republicans backed the bill, bringing the final tally in the house to 257 in favor with 167 voting against the compromise followed tense negotiations between republicans and democratic leaders. Well have more after the headlines with economist juliet schor. House republicans have reversed their pledge to take up in emergency aid bill this week for states devastated by superstorm sandy. The move potentially leaves the 60 billion aid package to die at the end of the legislative session on thursday. The house was expected to consider the bill today, but dropped it following lengthy talks on the fiscal cliff. The decision drew harsh condemnation from both sides of the aisle. Republican Congressmember Michael Grimm of staten island, one of the areas hardest hit by city, said democratic Congressmember Jerry Nadler of new york city blasted his colleagues for failing to take urgent action. Hurricane sandy struck on october 29. Nine weeks ago. It is unprecedented that it takes so long. I can understand i would not sympathize but i can understand with members to my said the amount requested is too much, we should change it, debate it. Fine. But to ignore it . To ignore the plight of millions of american citizens . Unprecedented, disgusting, unworthy of the leadership of this house. They should reconsider or hang their heads in shame, mr. Speaker. President obama has signed into law an extension of the federal governments sweeping powers to conduct warrantless wiretapping. The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act allows for the monitoring of domestic phone calls and emails as long as one of the partisan the communication is outside the u. S. The Controversial Program was set to expire at the end of 2012, but has now been renewed for another five years. It will drag and Oil Drilling Rig belonging to shell has run aground on the island in the gulf of alaska providing what environmentalist say is further proof of the perils of arctic oil drilling. The rig hit shore monday night after crew members towing the vessel were forced to disconnect it amid stormy weather. Concerns mounted over possible spill of diesel fuel and other contaminants on board. The crew previously had been evacuated. The director of the pin from the groups u. S. Arctic program, said the incident antirape protests are continuing in india after the death of a 23yearold student who was gang raped on a moving bus in new delhi. The womans ashes were scattered in the ganges river tuesday and many of the countrys beer celebrations were canceled after she succumbed to injuries sustained in the attack. The case has sparked a nationwide call for reforms to increase punishment for rapists and prevent legal cases from languishing. Hundreds of thousands of people took part in a candlelight vigil to honor the victim and call for the six suspects to be punished. Being a woman, i see it is not just about these six people it is about child abuse, domestic violence, rape, molestation. A very simple thing that we can do, both men and women, is we need to raise our voices. The gang rape case has shone a light on other instances of Sexual Violence in india or one woman is raped every 20 minutes according to the National Crime registry. Syrian Government Forces are reportedly battling with rebels opposed to president Bashar Al Assad near an airport in the Northern Province of idlib. The violence comes a day after opposition groups say 75 people were killed across the country. On tuesday, government airstrikes rebelheld areas of aleppo as clashes forced the citys airports to shut down. Heavy fighting was also reported terror near damascus. On sunday, Lakhdar Brahimi warned syrias crisis is deepening. The situation in syria is very bad, very, very bad. The differences are increasing. And that there needs to be a political solution. Tbilisi Syrian People and give them their rights. Their legal rights or syria will turn into two policeman in bahrain have been sentenced to seven years in jail for beating an opposition member to death. The victim was the founder of an independent newspaper. He died in custody in april 2011. Bahrain held fresh Anti Government protests this week despite an ongoing crackdown against demonstrators. For rain is home to the navys fifth fleet. And ivory coast, a 61 people were crushed to death in a stampede following a new years fireworks show. Witnesses said police tried to control a crowd of thousands pouring out of the stadium. Scores of people were injured, most of the dead were children and teenagers. The fireworks display was to celebrate peace after months of violence following disputed elections in 2011. Seven aid workers have been shot dead in pakistan in what appears to be the latest case of militants targeting Health Related groups. Last month at least nine volunteers with a polio vaccination drive were killed across pakistan. Opposition to Health Efforts has spread after the cia used a Fake Vaccination Program to help fight osama bin laden. Five of the workers killed in tuesdays attack or young women who worked as educators. The remaining two were help workers. A new tally shows the number of civilians killed in iraq rose in 2012 for the first time in three years. The britishbased group iraq body count says about 4500 civilians were killed in violence last year. The group said in a statement iraq body counts figure is more than twice the number given by iraqi officials who claim violence is actually dropping. On monday, at least 23 people were killed, 87 wounded in a series of attacks across iraq. No. 3 leader kim jong un has called for harmony with south korea in a rare televised address. In a speech broadcast on new years day, he made no mention of the countrys controversial Nuclear Program and said the economy is north koreas top priority. An important issue of putting into the division of the country and achieving unification is to remove confrontation between north and south. The records show the confrontation between fellow countrymen leads to nothing but war. In chile, eight for me eight former Army Officers have been charged for their role in the murder of protest singer victor jara nearly four years ago. Jara was arrested and tortured after the u. S. Backed overthrow of elected president Salvador Allende in 1973. A chilean judge has ordered the arrest of two officers believed to of committed the murder and six others who allegedly acted as accomplices. It is historical for this country when people like victor jara and the other victims of the dictatorship can have this possibility that a judge can reach this level of the process and pinpoint responsibility of the army officials. In bolivia has nationalized the operations of spains largest utility company, iberdrola. Buildings occupied by the energy firm were seized by bolivian authorities last recalling orders by president morales. He said the move was necessary to ensure equality. What we consider this measure necessary. So that the quality of Electricity Service is uniform in the urban and rural areas. This measure guarantees equality to the citizens who live in the rural areas and in shares of income with equality and uniform service. Venezuelan Vice President nicolas murder has visited president hugo chavez in cuba were his is suffering complications after recent cancer surgery. In an interview, he attempted to assuage rumors about the president s health, but gave little specific information about his condition. During these days, i was able to see president hugo chavez twice and speak with him. His complete conscious of his post operative state and he expressly asked us to keep the print alt informed, always with the truth, regardless of how hard it may be. Pope benedict spoke to thousands of dollars in the vatican tuesday on a day recognized by the Catholic Church as a world day of peace. The poll also addressed the issue of economic inequality. Although the world is unfortunately still marked as a hotbed of tension and conflict caused by growing inequalities between rich and poor, from the dominance of a selfish and the individual mentality, also expressed by an unregulated financial capitalism as well as various forms of terrorism and crime, i am convinced that the many works of peace, which are abundant in the world, testified to the deep sense of humanity and peace. In new york, a woman has been charged with murder as a hate crime after allegedly pushing a man to his death on the subway tracks because she believed he was muslim or hindu. Erika menendez reportedly told authorities the victim, 46yearold susnando sen, was a hindu born in india. A wisconsin state senator is drawing ire for his comments against the holiday of kwanzaa. Republican state senator Glenn Grothman released a statement titled, why must we still care about kwanzaa . The comments drew outrage from local democratic leader meg moen who called them dog dropping and said in a victory for civil rights advocates, North Carolina governor bev perdue has issued pardons of innocence for the wilmington 10. The group of mostly African American activists were falsely convicted and imprisoned for the firebombing of a whiteowned store in the 1970s. Their pardons in the waning days of perdues administration follow a campaign to unequivocally vindicate the wilmington 10 after their convictions were overturned by a federal court decades ago. Newly Service Documents show the prosecutor in the case made racially based notes next to potential jurors, writing comments like kkk good and and uncle tom type. In a statement about the wilmington 10, the governor said wilmington 10 member Benjamin Chavis appeared on democracy now the street to talk about what a pardon of innocence would mean. The pardon of innocence would mean that the state of North Carolina finally realizes the trial, the unjust arrest charges were all racially motivated, politically motivated. It is time, 40 years later, for the state to remove this from the community of wilmington 10 and from the state itself. It has been an albatross around the states that for over 40 years. Sleeting environmentalist Rebecca Tarbotton has died at the age of 39. She was his executive director of the Rainforest Action Network and an advocate for human rights. She died in a swimming accident in mexico while on vacation. Rainforest Action Network said in a release Rebecca Tarbotton appeared on democracy now in may to talk about the campaign against bank of america. We are involved specifically with bank of america because Climate Change is the most real and present danger we have to the environment and the people all around the country and around the world. Bank of america is the lead finance here in the country. Coalfired power plants, for instance, are the largest source of Greenhouse Gas emissions which is the cause of Climate Change in climate chaos. Were here specifically to say, look, you need to get out of coal if any of us are serious about transitioning out of fossil fuels and into renewable energies. Rebecca tarbotton, died at the age of 39, director of the Rainforest Action Network, and a swimming accident in mexico. Those are some of the headlines. This is democracy now , democracynow. Org, the war and peace report. Im amy goodman with nermeen shaikh. Welcome to all our listeners and viewers from around the country and around the world. After much drama, the socalled fiscal cliff has come to an end. For now. Late tuesday night, the republicanled house voted to approve the deal. That came after the democratic led senate voted early tuesday to pass the measure. The move came nearly 24 hours after a decades worth of tax cuts expired with the stroke of the new year. Technically raising taxes by more than 500 billion in 2013. Shortly after last nights vote, president obama described the deal. Under this law, more than 98 of americans and 97 of Small Businesses will not see their income taxes go up. Millions of families will continue to receive tax credits to help raise their kids and send them to college. Companies will continue to receive tax credits for the research they do, the investments they make, and the Clean Energy Jobs they create. 2 million americans who were out of work, but out there looking, pounding the pavement every day, will continue to receive Unemployment Benefits as long as they are actively looking for a job. But i think we all recognize this lot is just one step in the broader effort to strengthen our economy and broaden our opportunity for everyone. The fact is, the deficit is still too high. And we are still investing too little in the things that we need for the economy to grow as fast as it should. The deal lays the groundwork for future battles between democrats and republicans over decisions on federal spending and debt. Obama told congress he expected them to approve an increase in the nations Borrowing Authority in the coming months, as well as director attention to other issues that have fallen by the wayside during the fiscal cliff hanger. Todays agreement enshrines the principle into law i think will remain in place as long as im president. The deficit needs to be reduced in a way that is balanced. Everyone pays their fair share. Everyone does their part. That is our our economy works best. We can settle this debate, or the very least, not allowed to be so all consuming all the time that it stops us from meeting up host of other challenges we face like reading jobs, boosting incomes, fixing our infrastructure, fixing our immigration system, protecting our planet from harmful effects of Climate Change, boosting Domestic Energy production, protecting our kids from the horrors of gun violence. The new years day a vote to approve the fiscal cliff deal was a reversal for House Republicans who had opposed it for not cutting deeply enough into social programs. House Speaker John Boehner backed the deal, but many of his top lieutenants voted against it, including majority leader eric cantor. Some democrats oppose the deal. In the senate, iowa democrat tom harkin was one of eight senators who voted against it. I am not saying everything this deal is bad. There are some good parts to this. But i repeat, i am concerned about this constant drift bit by bit, deal by deal toward more deficits, less job creation, more and fairness, less economic justice. A society where the gap goes wider between the few who have much in the many who have too little. So, mr. President , for these reasons, i must in good conscience vote no on this bill. Despite passage of the deal, many in the u. S. Was the tax increase after the expiration of the payroll tax cut enacted in 2011. When we come back from the break, we will be joined by a boston economist juliet