From KCRW in Santa Monica and PRI, Public Radio International, this is To the Point.

The federal budget. What's important and what's not?

Hello again, I'm Armin Alney, and this is To the Point from Public Radio International.

The daily look at the issues Americans care about most.

The federal budget's all about priorities, and President Obama says economic inequality is the

defining issue for America's next generation. He wants to escalate the war on poverty by closing

tax loopholes. Republicans call that a tax increase that makes poverty worse and rewards refusal

to work. Beyond that, the budget's

a chance to debate everything, from Pentagon's spending to how much to pay for the habitats of

honeybees. As arguments over the budget set the stage for this year's elections, will the

parties manage to unify or reveal their internal divisions? Today's talking point, why is the

College Board making big changes to the SAT?

First, here's the news.

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Hello again, Mormon. I'll be back with To The Point. Last year's rare bipartisan deals on spending limits and extending the debt ceiling eliminated the threat of pushing the country over a fiscal cliff, but that could make this year's budget debate more interesting rather than less. Both parties will have to reveal their priorities at the risk of revealing internal divisions in the run-up to primary contests and November's general election.

Today's talking point by 2016 and the SAT won't look the same as it does now. We'll hear why and what's in store.

Will it be harder for rich kids to game the system?

First is news update. President Obama today ordered sanctions that could apply to both Russians

and Ukrainians.

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