Month: October 2017
GOP Eliminating 401(k) Deduction as Americans Are Drastically Under-Saved for Retirement
And just wait until you see what happens to you when the GOP eliminates your 401(k) deduction. Good luck with your golden years. More …
The New ‘Giant Sucking Sound’ You Hear Is Changing the Economy and Disrupting Politics
To understand two of the most volatile currents in modern politics, the best place to start is with a fundamental shift in the geography of economic opportunity. More …
Climate Change Is Costing Taxpayers Billions — and It’s Getting Worse
A new government study finds climate change is already costing taxpayers billions in disaster relief due to more extreme weather events. More …
Climate Change and Homes: Who Would Lose the Most to a Rising Tide?
“While the damage caused by recent hurricanes is a devastating reminder of how quickly the weather can undo people’s lives and destroy their homes, the potential for damage from a slower-moving phenomenon could be even more destructive: Rising sea levels. Building on our 2016 analysis of the impact a rising tide could have on U.S. homes, we looked again at how many homes might be underwater by the end of the century — and whether those homes are in the top, middle or bottom tier in their areas. We also calculated the share in urban, suburban and rural areas.” Zillow Research …
After Day of Feuding, Jeff Flake and Bob Corker Join Trump to Upend a Major Consumer Protection
“With a razor-thin margin, the Senate passed a resolution to nullify a signature regulation from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, which banned forced arbitration provisions. Such clauses, tucked into the fine print of contracts that nobody reads, deny consumers the ability to contest claims through a class-action lawsuit and can allow banks and other financial institutions to rip off their customers with virtual impunity.” More …
Trump Health Official Seema Verma Has a Plan to Slash Medicaid Rolls
“With a broad overhaul of Obamacare stalled in Washington, one of President Trump’s top health care leaders is drawing the outlines of sweeping changes to Medicaid that could pare enrollments and cut costs without congressional approval. Seema Verma, director of the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, is promising to give states an “unprecedented level of flexibility” to design their Medicaid programs as they see fit. In an appearance in Cleveland this week, she pledged to reduce scrutiny of state requests for waivers from federal rules meant to preserve access and quality standards.” More …
Trump Strikes Again: ACA Silver Plan Premiums Up Average of 34 Percent
“As online window shopping on HealthCare.gov went live Wednesday, an independent analysis found that premiums for the most popular health plans under the Affordable Care Act are rising by an average 34 percent next year. The analysis of newly released government data by the consulting firm Avalere Health found that the Trump administration’s actions are contributing to the price hikes, adding instability to the underlying problems of the health law’s marketplaces.” More …
“No Kin In the Game”: Study Finds Members of Congress Without Draft-Age Sons Were More Hawkish
“A new study finds that members of Congress who didn’t have draft-age sons were significantly more likely to support hawkish, pro-conscription policies over the course of four major U.S. wars.” More …
The Future of Truth and Misinformation Online
“Experts are evenly split on whether the coming decade will see a reduction in false and misleading narratives online. Those forecasting improvement place their hopes in technological fixes and in societal solutions. Others think the dark side of human nature is aided more than stifled by technology.” More …