The Two Americas

A diagram by the PA Consulting Group used to explain the complexities of the current wars.
A diagram by the PA Consulting Group used to explain the complexities of the current wars.
John Edwards was right about one thing. There are two Americas, but not the ones he described in his 2004 presidential campaign: rich and poor. That almost seems quaint by today’s standards. Today the two Americas are the people suffering as a result of the Great Recession and those who are not. Among those who are suffering are teachers, pensioners, state and local government workers, the unemployed, the homeless…The list goes on and on.

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What’s the Matter with Alaska?

Photo: Robert A. Estremo
Photo: Robert A. Estremo
Earlier this week DC Bureau reporter David Rosenfeld wrote an article about the lengths that Alaska lawmakers went to appease the cruise ship industry. The article focused on Alaska’s cruise ship head tax – a recent law lowered it from $46 to about $19. This whole effort was spearheaded by Gov. Sean Parnell after Alaska voters passed a ballot initiative in 2006 creating the tax.

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It is Time To Create The Green Corps

March 31, 2010, President Obama announced plans to open new offshore areas for oil and gas development in ways that protect the environment and as part of a larger strategy to ensure energy security and independence. Photo: Public Domain
March 31, 2010, President Obama announced plans to open new offshore areas for oil and gas development in ways that protect the environment and as part of a larger strategy to ensure energy security and independence. Photo: Public Domain
The Obama administration treats environmentalists and other key supporters like Republican corporations treat Tea Party activists: useful but expendable. People concerned about the environment for eight years watched the Bush administration not only weaken environmental oversight and regulations, but also attack science and scientists. It was relentless and uncompromising.

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Before the Massa Meltdown: An interview on the Marcellus Shale

The resignation of Rep. Eric Massa (D-N.Y.) two weeks ago was a loss to New York industries dependent on a precious resource: clean water. With energy companies aggressively pursuing gas leases in the state, Massa brought the drilling debate to the federal level. He supported well permitting delays in the Marcellus Shale – a formation many geologic experts are calling the world’s largest natural gas field – to ensure state drilling regulations protect the environment.
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