Media

The aftermath of Hurricane Sandy raises tough questions about the strength of New York City’s infrastructure, and the stability of its waterfront. Governor Cuomo’s commission on storm prevention recently issued recommendations for future damage control, which include sea barriers along the coast, floodwalls in subways, and water pumps in airports.

Ask a conservative about the proper role of government and the first thing they are likely to mention is security. The right has long backed a major role for the state in protecting citizens from harmful threats, whether in the form of domestic criminals or foreign adversaries. 

As unemployment rates continue to decline, not enough attention is being paid to the kinds of jobs that are being created. A new report from the Working Poor Families Project shows exactly why we need to consider job quality, not just job creation. Analyzing Census Bureau data, the report finds that while unemployment rates are decreasing, the number of working poor families is increasing.

Inside of New York’s Javits Convention Center this morning, Walmart US President and CEO Bill Simon took the stage before a crowd of industry leaders to talk about how retail can play a central role in revitalizing the American economy. 

WHAT: Telephone press conference to demand an end to the growing threat to our democracy posed by voter suppression and unlimited corporate and special interest spending in elections. Momentum is growing nationwide, with more organizations, policymakers and citizens calling for change. On the call, groups will preview rallies and demonstrations being held nationwide on or around Saturday, Jan. 19, to coincide with the third anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court’s Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission decision (Jan. 21), Martin Luther King Jr.

Older Americans rely on credit cards as their financial safety net and pay down less of their debt than younger consumers, a new study shows.

Last year, the low- and middle-income 50-plus population had an average credit card balance of $8,278, compared with the younger generation's balance of $6,258, according to research conducted by Demos, a liberal public policy organization on behalf of AARP.

This is not a good idea. The New York Times is shutting down its environment desk. The justification for closing the desk is that the environmental beat is no longer siloed.

The United States isn't the only country that has a problem with giant banks that take too many risks, are not transparent, and are effectively above democratic oversight. The U.K. has the same problem, and in fact, that country's economy is even more financialized than the U.S.'s -- with all the attendant problems: banks helped inflate the U.K.'s huge real estate bubble in the early 2000s, inequality has risen amid outsized pay for bankers and traders, and the U.K.'s economy has become less stable as it has leaned more heavily on a sector addicted to risk-taking. 

This wasn’t a good week for Walmart. The business model of the nation’s largest private employer is built on a lack of accountability.