President Obama’s re-election, petitions to withdraw “peacefully” from the United States in order to form independent governments to have filed on the White House website. Petitions to secede are filled for almost half that states of the nation, while overall, over half-a-million signatures were collected that cover all 50 states. While some may describe this as an overreaction, the White House does have to take the requests seriously because any petition that receives 25,000 online signatures on their website needs to be reviewed and a reply needs to be given within 30 days of the posting. With Tony is publisher of the Trends Journal, which also predicts social and economic events 
Gerald Celente
Israel carried out a blistering offensive of more than 50 airstrikes in the Gaza Strip on Wednesday, assassinating Hamas' military commander in the most intense attack on the territory in nearly four years. Israel said the airstrikes, launched in response to days of rocket fire out of Hamas-ruled Gaza, were the beginning of a broader operation against Islamic militants. CBS News' Robert Berger is in Jerusalem and chats with Tony.
Xi Jinping (shee jihn-peeng) has become leader of China, securing the Communist Party's top spot as the country faces slower economic growth and rising public demands for change. The state Xinhua (shin-wah) News Agency on Thursday confirmed Xi's elevation to party general secretary. Xi also was appointed head of the commission that oversees the military. The selection of Xi follows a pivotal party congress that underlined the communists' determination to remain firmly in power. Reporter Ruth Morris is in Beijing and talks with Tony about the new Chinese leadership and how they see the west, specifically President Obama's second term.
President Obama on Wednesday pushed for his proposal to have the wealthy pay more in taxes as a way to tame the federal deficit, taking a hard line in his opening bid before he begins fiscal talks with U.S. lawmakers later in the week. “We should not hold the middle class hostage while we debate tax cuts for the wealthy,” Obama said in his first press conference since winning re-election on November 6. Is the President taking the right tone when it comes to the deficit? Or will this stance make it tougher for him to work with lawmakers on this issue? Politico Reporter Kevin Cirilli joins Tony this morning.
