Archive
Stealing State Parks
In one of the saddest signs of the times, “We’re Closed” signs are popping up all across the country as governors and legislators are cutting off funds (and shutting off access) to one of the finest, most popular assets owned by the people of our country: state parks.
Islamophobic Contest
Costly Labor Scam
These days, companies often prefer to build factories in states where union protections are weak. This enables them to increase company profits at the expense of the middle class. Otherwise, they do it at the expense of the lower class by leaving the country altogether.
Somebody vs. Someone Else vs. Obama
Phew. Those 20 debates felt like they’d never end. Now that they’re over, however, the Republican Party isn’t particularly close to selecting its presidential nominee. Don’t be surprised if the 2012 race for the Republican presidential nomination goes down as the most unpredictable for either major party since the GOP settled on Barry Goldwater in 1964.
The Lineup: Week of Feb. 20-26, 2012
Jason Salzman describes the pitfalls of the apparent GOP frontrunner’s aversion to speaking directly to the media.
Coal Smoke and Planetary Fever
I recently returned to my childhood home in India with my siblings for a final walk down memory lane with my elderly mother. As expected, it was a powerfully emotional experience. But in ways unexpected, it brought home to me how our planetary fever — climate change — is inflicting a deadly fever on those least to blame for it.
Dodging the Media on the Campaign Trail
If you’re a political candidate these days, the name of the game is to talk to your “target audience” apparently without answering questions from them — or, God forbid, from a journalist.
Go Deport Yourself
I bet Mitt Romney has a sweatshirt that says I (heart) Florida. His victory in the Sunshine State revitalized his campaign for the GOP presidential nomination. Florida also gave him an opportunity to explain his immigration policy.
Legislating Under the Influence
It’s all the rage in state legislatures and even in Congress. More than a dozen states are debating proposals to require jobless Americans who receive unemployment benefits to submit to mandatory drug testing.
The Fight over Reproductive Rights
The air is still thick with outrage over President Barack Obama’s attempt to require all employers to provide insurance coverage for people who desire (or need) birth control.