In the wake of the protests that followed the killing of Breonna Taylor and George Floyd, communities across the country should rethink the role of police in public safety, and the best model of reform is Newark, New Jersey. Newark has not only reformed the conduct of police operations, it has also moved to a … Continue reading
Latest Entries
Social Media Influencers are the Latest to Unionize, But Should They?
Creators (interchangeably referred to as influencers) are individuals that are paid by brands to advertise certain products on platforms like TikTok, Snapchat, and YouTube. These content creators now have increased worker protections, as the Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) has extended their coverage and membership offers through the “influencer agreement”. … Continue reading
A Pandemic, a Plan, and Some Patience
Introduction The COVID-19 pandemic has left many with the impression that the United States does little public health planning, in general, and had no planned response to a pandemic, in particular. In fact, each decade the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) develops quantifiable objectives to target national heath deficits. The timing of the … Continue reading
Section 230 and Complications with Regulating Big Tech
Overview There have been calls from across the ideological spectrum to modify Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act (CDA), which provides a liability shield for internet platforms to manage the user content hosted on their sites. While conceptually appealing to many, any alterations to Section 230 would be quite difficult to implement and may … Continue reading
The State of Nursing Homes: COVID-19 Accelerates the Shift to Home Health Care
Introduction What is the outlook for nursing homes and home health care industries? There has been a trend toward home health care and away from nursing homes in recent years. The former is less expensive and permits seniors to remain in the community, promoting better social health. The COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically accelerated these trends … Continue reading
Righting the Wrong, Pipeline Edition: The Case Against the Tar Sands of Canada
The Keystone XL pipeline is in the spotlight once again after President Biden revoked the pipeline’s presidential permit by signing an executive order halting the construction of the pipeline that would carry 830,000 barrels of oil per day from Alberta, Canada to Steele City, Nebraska, where it would join an existing pipeline that would transport … Continue reading
Biden’s Covid-19 Relief Package
President Joe Biden’s first Covid-19 relief package is underway and already facing obstacles in Congress. He plans to add provisions that delver direct aid to American families, businesses and communities, and a major focus on coronavirus testing and vaccine production and delivery as the pandemic continues to surge. Specifically, Biden’s proposal includes $20 billion allocated … Continue reading
The Impact of COVID-19 on Women’s Participation in the Labor Force
Since the COVID-19 pandemic struck in March, the female labor force participation rate has suffered due to the high volume of women who have left the workforce. Though there are many other contributing factors, research posed that those responsible for the most damage are the concentration of women in certain industries, and the need to … Continue reading
Racial Discrimination and the Role it Plays in Vaccine Distribution
The thought of a COVID-19 vaccine is quickly working its way towards a reality. Attention is largely focused on distribution and whose responsibility that may be. All states have submitted their initial distribution plans to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). One overarching concern among nearly each state is how to provide equitable … Continue reading
Addressing Addiction and Discriminatory Arrest Practices in the U.S.: Is Oregon Moving in the Right Direction?
This past election cycle, Oregon passed a law decriminalizing the possession of small amounts of many hard drugs. The measure was proposed and passed with the aim of more effectively tackling the issues of addiction and overdose in the state.[i] Criminal justice system involvement is not an effective treatment for addiction. Nearly 80% of inmates … Continue reading
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