Media

Last summer, a Western Beef store in the East Tremont section of the South Bronx became the first supermarket in the city to receive funding through the city’s Food Retail Expansion to Support Health (FRESH) program. The FRESH initiative provides financial and zoning incentives to entice supermarket chains to build new stores in neighborhoods that lack access to fresh, wholesome foods.

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.

Not everyone, however, buys the argument that medical credit checks are beneficial to consumers. For example, consumer advocates worry that the credit checks open an avenue for health care providers to pressure patients into immediate payment.  

"The danger, really, is that health care providers, particularly hospitals, may find lines of credit that people have open and really ask people to tap those lines of credit," says Amy Traub, a senior policy analyst at the think tank Demos.

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.