How Are Our Kids Doing in School These Days?
Spurred by the tone of reporting over the latest PISA test results, Bob Somerby has been pointing out that American kids have actually improved their school performance considerably over the past few decades. Nobody ever seems to acknowledge that. And that’s true. Sort of. But there is a caveat: performance in 4th and 8th grade…
Elizabeth Warren Has a Plan to Fight Corruption—And Perhaps Joe Biden
Vice President Joe Biden administers the Senate Oath to Sen. Elizabeth Warren during a mock swearing in ceremony on Capitol Hill in 2013.Evan Vucci/AP On Tuesday, Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) released a plan to “fight global financial corruption” and regulate Delaware-based LLCs—perhaps a sly dig at former Vice President Joe Biden, who as a senator…
Indicted Ukrainian Oligarch Paid $1 Million to Giuliani Pal, Prosecutors Say
Lev Parnas arrives at Federal Court on December 17, 2019 in New York City.Stephanie Keith/Getty Images Ukrainian oligarch Dmitry Firtash paid $1 million to Lev Parnas, an indicted associate of Rudy Giuliani, federal prosecutors said in a court hearing Tuesday in Manhattan. Firtash, a natural gas mogul with Kremlin connections, lives in Vienna and is…
The Big Loser in Congress’ Spending Compromise: The District of Columbia
FilippoBacci/Getty As Congress rushes to pass comprehensive spending legislation this week to avert a government shutdown, Democrats are giving up residents of the nation’s capital as part of the deal. On Monday, Democrats and Republicans unveiled the $1.3 trillion spending bills that will keep the government funded through next year. The compromise package includes a pair…
Trump Just Wrote a Last-Minute Letter to Pelosi Demanding She Drop Impeachment. It’s Wild.
Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post/Getty On the eve of a full House vote on impeachment, President Donald Trump sent a letter on Tuesday to Speaker Nancy Pelosi urging the top Democrat to “immediately cease this impeachment fantasy,” accusing Democrats of violating their oaths of office by continuing with the process. “You are violating your oaths of…
Should the Federal Government Focus on R&D or Infrastructure? Time Has Run Out, so R&D It Is.
John Tomac In the war against climate change, what should we focus on: R&D spending or infrastructure buildout? This is an evergreen question, but here’s my answer. My proposal is that the United States should spend massive amounts of money on both these things. Practically speaking, however, that won’t happen. We’ll have to make choices.…