America has a drug problem that goes well beyond opiates and abuse. Pharmaceutical drug prices have skyrocketed in the last decade and fueled an overall increase in health care costs and spending[1]. The top ten most prescribed medications have all risen more than 50% since 2011, with four out of ten having doubled in cost. … Continue reading
Rural America is struggling. As blue-collar jobs move overseas and people flock to major cities in an increasingly knowledge-based economy, rural America is being left behind in the next wave of economic growth. President Donald Trump broke the Democratic “blue wall” in the 2016 presidential election by appealing to rural voters, running on a platform … Continue reading
Background On June 5th, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt released a joint statement, announcing their severance of all diplomatic and trade ties with the gulf state of Qatar. This announcement came on the heels of rising tensions between Qatar and their fellow Arab states. The official reason given for the severance … Continue reading
Introduction The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) supports individuals from sectors across society who are looking for employment, training, or other workforce assistance. WIOA is a federal program implemented by states and it has only been active since July 1, 2016. The program is supported by a bipartisan majority and has been praised by … Continue reading
Overview Late June, legislation that would transform California’s health care system to a single-payer system was brought to a halt by Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon, despite approval in the state Senate and loud public support. Single-payer health insurance eliminates the numerous private and government health insurers and replaces them with a single public organization that … Continue reading
Overview Since Fidel Castro took power in 1959, the United States has adopted policies to isolate Cuba both diplomatically and economically. Former President Barack Obama began the process of normalizing relations between the United States and Cuba during his tenure. The Obama administration’s policies signal a shift in 50 plus years of American foreign … Continue reading
On January 30th, 2016 President Donald Trump, ten days settled into his new Pennsylvania Avenue home, exclaimed during a meeting with small business owners, “Dodd-Frank is a disaster. We’re going to be doing a big number on Dodd-Frank.” The extensive financial reform law put in place by Democrats has been scorned by Republicans since its … Continue reading
During his Presidential campaign Bernie Sanders declared, “The current federal minimum wage is a starvation wage. It’s got to be raised to a living wage.” That living wage is often thought to be a $15 an hour minimum wage that has been vigorously advocated for by Democratic politicians. However, increases to the federal minimum wage … Continue reading
Energy efficiency — the ugly ducking in an industry full of shiny solar panels and soaring wind turbines — may be the smart, business friendly path to mitigating climate shifts, regardless of political detours. The Paris Agreement, the most drastic global climate action plan, officially entered into force in early November, confirming 94 countries’ pledges to … Continue reading
Since the establishment of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in 1894, the Olympic Games have been a world stage for people of all countries to show off athletic prowess through competition. In that time, 41 different cities have hosted the games with some like Los Angeles hosting multiple. Leaders in these cities justify the expense … Continue reading
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