The American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) has been quietly advancing a radical right-wing agenda at the state level for decades. Their efforts recently came under fire when it was discovered that they were behind the “Stand Your Ground” law implemented in Florida, which was used to justify the shooting death of Trayvon Martin.
Not so long ago debt "was a four-letter word when spoken in the same breath as "retirement." Before waltzing into their golden years, older Americans paid off their loans, then celebrated by burning the mortgage.
Last week, the House Agriculture Committee voted to drastically cut spending on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) by over $33 billion. It's an extreme, absurd, dangerous thing to do, cutting an already underfunded program that is, as Feeding America put it, "one of the nation's most critical, remaining safety net."
If Congressman Denny Rehberg has his way, child labor rules will be relaxed in the name of the "family farm." He is the leading proponent of the Preserving America’s Family Farm Act, arguing that the "urban" Department of Labor is out to get "rural" America.
Last summer, on her final day as the Chairman of the FDIC, Shelia Bair decried the short-termism that has overtaken both Wall Street and Washington, where “[o]ur financial markets remain too focused on quick profits, and our political process is driven by a two-year election cycle and its relentless demands for fundraising.” This short-termism has taken hold of the reins of our larger political system and increasingly characterizes policy initiatives at every level of government.
A coalition of national voting rights groups have secured a landmark settlement with the State of Georgia to ensure that voter registration is offered to all public assistance applicants.
New York – In advance of Earth Day, a new research brief from nonpartisan public policy organization Demos sounds an essential wake up call for Virginia’s policymakers and voters: “The Economic and Environmental Impacts of Climate Change in Virginia,” lays out how Virginians’ health, economy, and environment are already suffering the effects of climate change and how prolonged inaction on climate change promises dire consequences in the coming decades.
New York – In advance of Earth Day, a new research brief from non-partisan public policy organization Demos sounds a wake up call for policymakers and voters: “The Economic and Environmental Impacts of Climate Change in Florida” lays out how Floridians’ health, economy, and environment are already suffering the effects of climate change and how continued inaction on climate change promises dire consequences in the coming decades.
New York – In advance of Earth Day, a new research brief from non-partisan public policy organization Demos sounds a wake up call for policymakers and voters: “The Economic and Environmental Impacts of Climate Change in Arizona” lays out how Arizonans’ health, economy, and environment are already suffering the effects of climate change and how continued inaction on climate change promises dire consequences in the coming decades.
New York – In advance of Earth Day, a new research brief from non-partisan public policy organization Demos sounds a wake up call for policymakers and voters: “The Economic and Environmental Impacts of Climate Change in Nevada” lays out how Nevadans’ health, economy, and environment are already suffering the effects of climate change and how prolonged inaction on climate change promises dire consequences in the coming decades.
This is the week when President Obama captured headlines and prime television coverage by assembling his team in the Rose Garden and finally employing the bully pulpit against speculation in the oil markets. He demanded action to curb the clear impact of rampant speculative trading of energy on the prices paid for gasoline every day by all Americans. He also renewed the case against the outrageous subsidies to big oil companies that are nothing short of shameful.
Students attending or planning to attend college know that a postsecondary credential is a minimum requirement for getting a good paying job. But they are frustrated that, while their education also means great dividends for the nation as a whole, they’re increasingly being asked to shoulder a rising and unaffordable share of the costs.
Authored by Robert Repetto PhD, a Senior Fellow in the United Nations Foundation's climate and energy program, these four policy briefs examine the health, economic and environmental challenges posed by the effects of climate change in four particularly susceptible states.
The details of the report lay out the near and likely long-term consequences should these states fail to make a serious committment to combatting climate change.
Click on the titles below or select a state in the righthand column to view the individual reports.
Climate change poses a tremendous threat to Florida. Sea level rise, more intense precipitation, and stronger hurricanes increase the risk of natural disaster and imperil the state’s economy and its citizens’ safety.
