Morning Matters

• House outlines plan to fund Obamacare. Includes an extra $1,500 tax on families making more than $500,000 per year; $9,000 on families making more than $1 million. Employers with a payroll over $400,000 who don't provide health insurance would pay a fine equal to 8 percent of wages.
• In second day of hearings, Sotomayor promises "objectivity," not to let personal experience influence her decisions.
• Obama may do away with Bush administration's color-coded terror alert system.
• Federal toxic assets program moves forward, even though the problem maybe taking care of itself.
• Apple is very successful at giving consumers a product they enjoy, and that they feel benefits them. The company has also revolutionized the computer, portable music, cell phone industries. So let’s punish them.
• Urban areas see fights over raising backyard chickens.

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