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Amid the Congressional debate over how to offset the cost of keeping interest rates on Stafford loans from doubling, Senator Al Franken today unveiled new legislation that would require colleges to fill out a uniform financial aid letter for student applicants. 

Speaking at a press conference covered by The Uptake Franken said:

It's becoming harder and harder to ignore a depressing fact: one of America's most admired companies is also among its least ethical. Yes, that would be Apple.

On Wednesday the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission took the historic step of updating its guidance on the use of criminal records in employment screening. Since a disproportionate number of Americans with criminal records come from low-income communities of color, this is a major civil rights victory.

Here's an example of what happens when politicians stick to their guns.

You don't need a PhD in political science to know that America's social contract is badly frayed. A battery of polls and studies over recent years reveal the following depressing facts: That many Americans don't believe that they have much say in how the rules of society are made; many don't believe they will get ahead if they play by the rules; and many don't believe that the rules are enforced fairly, regardless of class or connections.

The firsthand account of a veteran who was turned away from the polls in Pennsylvania because of a photo ID law.

When it comes to greenhouse gas emissions, cities generate up 60 percent of all emissions. This number rises to 80 percent when including the indirect emissions of city dwellers (although the per capita carbon footprint is often lower in cities than in rural areas due to denser living conditions and more availability of public transportation).

If Washington tackles corporate tax reform in the next year, as many expect, one thing is for sure: this debate will touch off a feeding frenzy for lobbyists, an avalanche of strategic campaign donations and, in the end, probably will yield only modest reform. Nor can we count on any increase in overall revenues, given that the GOP is dead set against revenue increases and Obama has already given up the fight by saying corporate tax reform should be revenue neutral.