WAMU 88.5 : News

Filed Under:

Montgomery County's Berliner Not Worried About Fiscal Cliff

Play associated audio

Montgomery County Council President Roger Berliner has long maintained his beliefs that while it would certainly hurt if Congress went over the fiscal cliff, his county would be able to weather all the negative effects.

He kept that position after meeting Monday morning with Maryland Rep. Chris Van Hollen, one of the most visible Democrats during the whole saga. Berliner says Van Hollen seemed "guardedly optimistic" that the fiscal cliff will be avoided, which was good enough for Berliner.

"I think that with the election behind us, this is the time when a deal is most possible," he says. "If we can't cut a deal now, we really are in serious trouble as a nation. And I just refuse to believe that is the case."

The federal government is far and away the biggest employer in the county, and the drastic budget cuts would bring the most impact, particularly those at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda.

NPR

A Race Against Time To Find WWI's Last 'Doughboys'

In 2003, Richard Rubin set out to talk to every American veteran of World War I he could find. With help from the French, he tracked down dozens of centenarian vets and recorded their stories in a new book called The Last of the Doughboys.
NPR

The Great Charcoal Debate: Briquettes Or Lumps?

Does the kind of charcoal you use really make a difference when it comes to grilling up a tasty steak or other food on the grill? Yes — but deciding which one to use depends on what you're after. Both briquettes and lump charcoal — aka "natural" hardwood charcoal — have their advantages and disadvantages.
NPR

Obama's Terrorism Fight Is Colored Gray, Not Black And White

If President Obama's newly recalibrated counterterrorism strategy demonstrates anything, it is his penchant for nuance.
NPR

Google Reportedly Faces FTC Antitrust Probe Over Display Ads

The Federal Trade Commission is in the early stages of opening an antitrust probe into how Google runs its online display advertising business, according to a report by Bloomberg News, citing sources who want to remain anonymous because the FTC has not announced the probe.

Leave a Comment

Help keep the conversation civil. Please refer to our Terms of Use and Code of Conduct before posting your comments.