Policy
Strict school vaccine mandates work, and parents don’t game the system − new research
Strict school vaccine mandates work, and parents don’t game the system − new research States that eliminated nonmedical vaccine exemptions for children entering kindergarten saw significant increases in vaccination rates, with an average increase of 3.2 percentage points over three years. The elimination of nonmedical exemptions did not lead to a shift to medical exemptions, […]
🏥 Health
Declining union membership could be making working-class Americans less happy and more susceptible to drug overdoses
Declining union membership could be making working-class Americans less happy and more susceptible to drug overdoses Declining union membership among working-class Americans may be linked to increased unhappiness and higher rates of drug overdoses, according to research by economists. A study found that increasing levels of union membership tends to make working-class people happier, with […]
📰 News
Congress has been dodging responsibility for tariffs for decades – now the Supreme Court will decide how far presidents can go alone
Congress has been dodging responsibility for tariffs for decades – now the Supreme Court will decide how far presidents can go alone The US Supreme Court will hear a case on whether presidents can impose sweeping import duties using a Cold War-era emergency law, raising questions about accountability and democratic ownership. The shift in power […]
🏛️ Politics
Amateur hour in Congress: How political newcomers fuel gridlock and government shutdowns
Amateur hour in Congress: How political newcomers fuel gridlock and government shutdowns Amateur politicians, who have no prior experience in elected office, are more likely to fuel gridlock and government shutdowns in Congress due to their lack of bipartisanship. The study found that first-term amateur lawmakers work across party lines far less often than incumbent […]
🏛️ Politics
It’s always been hard to make it as an artist in America – and it’s becoming only harder
It’s always been hard to make it as an artist in America – and it’s becoming only harder The United States has a significant number of artists (2.4 million or 1% of the workforce), but they often face volatile income, limited benefits, and few protections against technological or market shocks. The current labor policies in […]
🏛️ Politics
Greenville County School Board looks to review AI policies with new committee
Greenville County School Board looks to review AI policies with new committee The Greenville County School Board is forming a new committee to review AI policies. The committee’s initial focus areas include time management and AI use in the classroom. Data protection and transparency are also on the agenda for the committee’s review. The board […]
💻 Technology
Trump administration’s layoffs would gut department overseeing special education, eliminating parents’ last resort
Trump administration’s layoffs would gut department overseeing special education, eliminating parents’ last resort The Trump administration’s latest round of layoffs has targeted over 4,000 federal workers, including 466 at the Department of Education, which would gut the department overseeing special education. A federal judge has paused the layoffs, calling them “illegal and in excess of […]
📰 News
Detroit parents face fines if their children break curfew − research shows the policy could do more harm than good
Detroit parents face fines if their children break curfew − research shows the policy could do more harm than good Fines for parents whose children break curfew may do more harm than good, as they can exacerbate economic hardship and existing inequities among vulnerable families. The effectiveness of parental responsibility laws is limited by a […]
📰 News
Congressman Ted Lieu makes the case for strong regulation of AI
Congressman Ted Lieu makes the case for strong regulation of AI Strong regulation of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is necessary to prevent its misuse and ensure public safety. The lack of regulation in the AI industry can lead to job displacement, bias in decision-making systems, and cybersecurity threats. Congressman Ted Lieu’s advocacy for strong regulation of […]
🏛️ Politics
Shutdowns are as American as apple pie − in the UK and elsewhere, they just aren’t baked into the process
Shutdowns are as American as apple pie − in the UK and elsewhere, they just aren’t baked into the process The US is an exception when it comes to government shutdowns, which are rare or non-existent in most Western democracies. The main reasons for this difference lie in the relative power of the legislature, how […]
🏛️ Politics