CNN news 2009-02-08 加文本

Senators are in the middle of more debate on the big economic recovery plan. They are back on the Senator Floor after working late into the night on a compromise. The recovery bill has been whittled down to 780 billion dollars. At one point, there was more than 900 billion dollars worth of spending in the Senate's version.

RNC Chairman Michael Steele says a lot of the money outlined in the massive plan is going to the wrong place. “The fastest way to help those families is by letting them keep more of the money they earn. Individual empowerment, that's how you stimulate the economy. But the democrats have a different philosophy. Instead of leaving money in the family checkbook, they want to send it to Washington, run it through a slow and inefficient government and hope that does some good." Steele made those comments during his first address as the chairman of the Republican National Committee.

One of baseball's best players is now in the middle of his own steroids scandal. Sports Illustrated.com is reporting that Alex Rodriguez tested positive for steroids in 2003. Sources tell Sports Illustrated more than 100 players tested positive that year. Rodriguez was the American League's most valuable player that year. He is now with the New York Yankees and the highest-paid player in the game.

Longtime television, film and stage actor James Whitmore has died. Whitmore earned numerous awards throughout his career, including a golden globe in 1949 for his performance in the" Battleground "and an Emmy in 2000 for his appearance in the 3 part episode of ABC's legal drama "The Practice". Among his more recent roles, Whitmore played prison inmate Brooks in the "Shawshank Redemption". James Whitmore was 87.(www.hXen.com)

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