Archive
No More Deals with Unscrupulous Government Contractors
The Pentagon reported in January that it had awarded more than $270 billion in contracts to companies found guilty of fraud, and millions more to companies suspended or debarred from federal contracting. Our military brass didn’t seem too worried about these findings, however. The Defense Department assured the public that “existing remedies with respect to contractor wrongdoing are sufficient.” Really?
Entrepreneurship by Necessity
There’s a silver lining in the dark cloud of the Great Recession. A new Census Bureau report reveals that from 2002 to 2007, the number of black-owned businesses in the United States increased by 60.5 percent to 1.9 million–more than triple the national rate.
The Dangers of Nuclear ‘Ice-Nine’
The great cautionary tale of the 19th century is Frankenstein, Mary Shelly’s novel. It’s the story of a brilliant scientist, Victor Frankenstein, who builds a monster out of spare parts and then breathes life into it.
Newt Fakes It
At last, Newt Gingrich has come bucking out of the presidential chute, shouting “Yippie-ty-yi-yo, here I go!” On March 3, that grizzled old cowpoke working the far-right-wing corral of American politics declared that he’s raring to go for the Republican presidential nomination.
Nuclear War and Peace
OtherWords cartoonist Khalil Bendib compares Japan’s two nuclear disasters.
Big Bankers Aren’t Like the Rest of Us
You may have noticed that laws governing you and me tend to be rather rigidly enforced, whereas laws governing banking and finance are more loosey-goosey.
The Lineup: Week of March 14-21, 2011
Sanho Tree explains why adopting Colombia’s failed anti-drug policies in Mexico is a mistake and Donald Kaul says we should stay out of Libya.
Colombia Is No Model for Mexico’s Drug War
When Washington ramped up its anti-drug efforts through Plan Colombia, more than 90 percent of the cocaine consumed in the United States came through Colombia. A decade later, we still get about 90 percent of our cocaine via Colombia.
The Case for Spending More on Public Broadcasting
Once again, America’s public broadcasters face the real possibility that their federal funding will vanish. This time, opponents are using the results of a dubious sting operation and the federal deficit as rationales for scrapping spending. But during an economic crisis, we need more reporting, more coverage, and more accountability, not less.
Free Trade’s Winners and Losers in Latin America
President Barack Obama is traveling to Latin America, seeking refuge from budget battles at home by promoting increased trade with countries across the region. During his trip to Chile, Brazil, and El Salvador, he’s expected to highlight the benefits of so-called “free trade” to U.S. and Latin American businesses.
