A recent study by the RAND Corporation, published in the Journal of Health Affairs, finds that states stand to lose $8.4 billion annually if they do not expand their Medicaid program – a move initially prescribed by the Affordable Care Act, but deemed voluntary by the Supreme Court decision. The $8 billion is money states … Continue reading
I’m sure all of you are familiar with the internet – if you weren’t, you wouldn’t be reading this. There are 2.3 billion internet users around the world. The majority of these users are concentrated in the developed world, but many also reside in newly industrialized countries like China, India, and Brazil. As the number … Continue reading
For better or worse, that is exactly how many of the leading voices in Republican TV and Radio feel about the current generation of young adults – generation stupid. The terms “arrogant,” “entitled,” “fragile,” “lazy,” and “narcissistic” have been the hallmarks of GOP media idea-makers’ descriptions of young adults. Once election season ends, these same pundits are quick … Continue reading
Events from last week highlight two very different faces of the Syrian intervention movement and how each is evolving: Senator John McCain’s visit with rebel leaders, and the as yet unconfirmed report of an American combatant’s death. These developments have attracted increased attention to the possibility of U.S. intervention in Syria, a prospect which seemed … Continue reading
In a previous post, I wrote about the challenges of balancing economic and environmental interests when crafting regulatory policy. I argued that while regulations often incur significant economic costs, more regulation doesn’t necessarily translate into greater environmental benefits. This issue came up at a House Natural Resources Committee hearing on Tuesday about state and federal approaches … Continue reading
Naptime, wooden blocks, and finger paint have returned to Capitol Hill as politicians debate the fate of Head Start – a kindergarten readiness program that targets children from low-income families. Due to sequester spending cuts, 70,000 young children will be denied access to Head Start. Additionally, 14,000 staff members will lose their jobs, causing an … Continue reading
The Keystone pipeline isn’t the only one causing a headache for energy watchdogs. Last week, the WSJ reported that Iranian hackers had gone “far enough to worry people” in possibly manipulating oil or gas pipelines through the computers that control electricity generation. Such cyberattacks, believed to be a retaliation against sanctions, are seen as a … Continue reading
While politics and partisanship are the primary forces driving the discord in Washington today, it is power that will ultimately determine the outcome of such conflict. In our government, power is shared between branches, which in times of divided government like the present, essentially means shared between parties. With each side empowered to block the … Continue reading
I am not Mel Gibson and you, presumably, are not Helen Hunt (Helen, if you do read this, you’re awesome). But the movie starring these two actors – in which Gibson’s character falls, hits his head, and is suddenly able to hear women’s thoughts – is unfortunately reminiscent of a current policy debate. On Wednesday, … Continue reading
With the nomination of Gina McCarthy to be the newest chief of the Environmental Protection Agency, a lot of shade has been thrown on the administration’s lack of transparency and practices of favoritism. First Senator Vitter delayed the vote with 1,038 questions, which he then narrowed to five key demands. Now it is looking like Republicans … Continue reading
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