Media

House Republicans want to avoid big defense cuts by whacking other areas of government instead -- like programs that help low-income people.

No big surprise there. Putting guns before butter has been a staple of the GOP playbook for decades -- ever since Reagan pushed sweeping cuts in social spending while giving the Pentagon a blank check.

Yesterday, I wrote about how renewable energy is flourishing, despite a lack of political support. Recent data from the Energy Information Agency confirms this trend.

Last week, the House attempted a quid pro quo: a proposal to extract funds from the $17 billion ACA fund intended for "immunization campaigns, health screenings and other preventive practices" in exchange for a freeze on student loan interest rates.

The Supreme Court may not have decided yet on the Arizona v. United States case. But there is already a sense of defeat among immigrant rights activists (and a sense of celebration among the restrictionist movement) based on the feeling that the justices, including the liberal ones, may lean towards upholding at least some parts of Arizona’s SB 1070 anti-immigrant law.

A record number of people agree: The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) should regulate corporate political spending.

The South Korean parliament voted overwhelmingly in favor of adopting a national carbon trading scheme. The bill received the support of 148 out of 151 lawmakers and establishes South Korea as the fourth nation in Asia to adopt carbon trading, joining China, Australia and New Zealand.

One major reason people pursue a college degree is to get a better job. But what if the debt accrued to finance an education itself becomes an obstacle to employment? That’s what happened to Latoya Horton.

Prior to the 20th century, military conflicts used to be put on hold during the winters as all parties decided the elements would do more harm than the enemy. It’s no surprise then that Occupy Wall Street has taken a bit of time off the front pages of the news—but rest assured, they have been very, very busy.

Progressives defend social insurance programs at every turn, and for good reasons: These programs, particularly Social Security and Medicare, are among the greatest achievements of government and have immeasurably improved the lives of Americans.

Increasingly, though, the great crusade to provide security to America's seniors is coming into conflict with another progressive goal: Sustaining government as a flexible agent of change with the resources to solve emerging problems.