Prostitutes rights. And today 100 years old. Good morning everybody. Welcome to al Jazeera America. Im David Shuster, live in new york. President obama is officially on vacation, home for the holidays. He and the first family touched down in hawaii a little more than an hour ago. On friday the president said a vacation with the relaxation that comes with it will help him to prepare for the year ahead. Before leaving washington mr obama held a News Conference and took questions about successes and failures of 2013. Mike viqueira has the story. Good afternoon everybody. With calls for reform president obama defended the collection of millions of phone records from the n. S. A. But left the door open to changes. Whatever benefits the configuration of this program may have, maybe outweighed by the scoerns that he had on his potential abuse. If thats the case there may be another way to skin the cat. Asked if a plea deal could be struck with Edward Snowden in exchange for a stop to the leak
Couples are free to tie the knot hello. Welcome to al jazeera america. Im David Shuster in new york. President obama is heading home for the holidays. He and the first family are on their way to hawaii. The president , himself, said on friday a vacation and the sleep and rest it entails will help him prepare for the year ahead. Before leaving washington president obama had a News Conference and talked about what went well and poorly in 2013. Al jazeeras Mike Viqueira has the story the president had the tone of putting 2013 in the rear view mirror. There were setbacks, he talked about them openly. Next year, 2014, things are looking up. Good afternoon everybody with calls for reform coming from the courts and his own advisors president obama defended the n. S. A. s collection of millions of phone messages, but left the door open for changes. Whatever benefits the configuration of this program may have, maybe outweighed by the concerns that people have on its potential abuse. If thats th
It looks like a e has a disaster on its hands. Could it mean the end of the show, duck dynasty . First to the lead. Surveillance has been a hot topic. President obama not only met with the most prominent tech executives, released a report on government surveillance. The president is hinting he may be willing to follow through on some of the restrictions. Take a listen to what he had to say in his final News Conference of the year. I have confidence in the fact that nsa is not engaging in domestic surveillance or snooping around. I recognize as technology changes, people can start running algorithms and math out the information. President obama has not made a final decision yet. Phil mattingly was at a press conference and he joins us with more. There is no doubt right now that it is a big change from five or six months ago. They are changing and they will be laid out. Not just because the administration feels like the programs have gotten out of hand or the nsa is operating off the pat
Host that breakthrough year, is something that took leisa the president s press conference. It was highlighted in the paper today. Here is president obama yesterday talking about the economy and his 2014 being a breakthrough year. Up and whathat all it means is we head into next year with an economy that is stronger than it was when we started the year. More americans are finding work ad experiencing the pride of paycheck. We are positioned for new growth and new jobs and i firmly believe that 2014 can be a breakthrough year for america. Outlined in detail earlier this month we know there is a lot more we are going to have to do to restore opportunity and brought based progress for everyone. It is a good start that earlier this week for the first time in years both parties in both houses of congress came together to pass a budget. That unwinds some of the damaging sequester cuts that created headwinds for our economy. It clears the path for businesses and for investments that we need t
I also think more incentives to encourage annuitization makes sense. There is an area where economists are more divided than a new it is then annuities. Efficient way of allocating your retirement income. Almost no individual will willingly annuitize. Option of am the lump sum, they will take it and walk away. It is a human nature kind of thing. Annuity turns you from a millionaire to somebody getting income per year. I think tax incentives are something along those lines to an courage to encourage annuitization. It is a high hurdle to get over. Back to listen to the chairmans closing comments. Yes, you did. Few in the senate know that secure the issues have thank you all for testifying. Some members may have written questions for you if you would get answers in the next week to us via to us. I think the hearing was a success in many ways because the debate should be about the issue of achieving retirement security. Not budget issues the way that they are issues of how to debate on how