Simple Steps for Super Committee Transparency

Roll Call carries op-eds today from the Ripon Society and Heritage debating the merits of Super Committee transparency. Ripon’s Lou Zickar thinks the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction would benefit from privacy. I argue that’s exactly the wrong approach for the most powerful committee in congressional history. As the Joint Committee prepares for its […]

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Unemployed Could Soar 40% to 35 Million

(MoneyNews) Economist and former Secretary of Labor Robert Reich says that unless the government takes swift and intelligent action, the number of unemployed could soar from 25 million to 35 million, and President Barack Obama’s jobs plan doesn’t cut it. “I would rather that (Obama) came up with a jobs plan that the Republicans would […]

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Texas Coal Company Announces 500 Layoffs, Sues to Block EPA Regulation

It was sadly ironic that Texas energy company Luminant announced it would lay off 500 employees on the same morning that President Obama unveiled legislation designed to promote job growth. The company said that a new rule from the Environmental Protection Agency will force it to cease operations at two electricity generating plants, and close […]

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Chart of the Week: How Social Security Is Contributing to the Spending Crisis

Last week’s presidential debate at the Reagan Library elevated Social Security as a national issue that could reshape the 2012 campaign. Candidates spent the week trading blows about the role of the 76-year-old social insurance program. Leaving aside the political rhetoric, one thing is certain: Social Security needs to be reformed or America will face […]

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Left in the Dark: Blackouts 101

Photo of a vacant 7-11 in San Diego closed due to the blackout. Photo taken by Flickr user @nathangibbs Earthquakes, hurricanes, floods, and now blackouts? One might say Mother Nature is on a rampage. On Thursday around 3:45 p.m., 1.5 million people lost power. A mass blackout occurred spanning California, Arizona, and parts of Mexico. […]

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