Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s (R-Ky.) setting Keystone as the first order of business for the new session, with fast passage through the House expected Friday, was part of a GOP attempt to undercut Obama quickly, and devastatingly, even before he got to his State of the Union address: He’d either have to concede on approving a project he has resisted and his base hates, or kick off his promised era of bipartisan cooperation with what would be only his third veto ever…
Boehner takes revenge
POLITICO: …After he secured his third term as speaker Tuesday afternoon, losing 25 votes on the House floor to some relative-unknown members of the Republican Conference, [House Speaker John] Boehner moved swiftly to boot two of the insurgents from the influential Rules Committee. That could be just the start of payback for the speaker’s betrayers, […]
Food stamp benefit cut may force a million people into ‘serious hardship
ALJAZEERA: Food stamp eligibility rules are tightening in states across the country, causing up to one million current recipients to lose benefits and resulting in “serious hardship for many,” a new report from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CPBB) suggests. The swipe on benefits will occur as various states re-impose work requirements they […]
Daimler’s self-drive car gears up for the future
FINANCIAL TIMES: Meet the car of the future: self-driving, with touchscreen walls and seats that rotate to create an “exclusive cocoon on wheels” in which you can work, rest and play… We think fully autonomous vehicles are a real possibility,” said Mark Fields, Ford chief executive, in remarks before the opening of CES. “For the […]
California to begin work on nation’s first bullet train
AOL / AP: California’s high-speed rail project reaches a milestone Tuesday as officials mark the start of work on the nation’s first bullet train, which is designed to whisk travelers at 200 mph between Los Angeles and San Francisco in less than three hours. The ceremony in Fresno comes amid challenges from Central Valley farmers […]
AG Kathleen Kane hires press secretary, second key hire from Arkansas
HARRISBURG PATARIOT-NEWS: …The latest hiring continues a shake-up in the Attorney General’s Office after 61 staff members were implicated in a growing email scandal, four of whom were fired and 11 suspended without pay. It also follows a grand jury investigation into alleged leaks from the office.
Home Schooling in PA: More Pupils, Less Regulation
NEW YORK TIMES: Until recently, Pennsylvania had one of the strictest home-school laws in the nation.
Tale of two authorities
PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER EDITORIAL: …In April, Republican lawmakers from both sides of the Delaware joined Pennsylvania Auditor General Eugene DePasquale, a Democrat with a seat on the DRPA board, in proposing the reforms. Most importantly, they would revoke the agency’s broad leeway to fund “economic development” projects far afield of its bridges and rail line. Agency […]
Pennsylvania slot machine revenue drops in 2014
PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE: …Gross revenue from the state’s 12 casinos totaled $2.31 billion in 2014, down 2.71 percent from the $2.38 billion collected in 2013, according to the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board. Richard McGarvey, a gaming board spokesman, attributed the decline to competition from surrounding states, including Ohio, Maryland and New York. He also theorized that […]
After banner year, PA school pension fund still deep in red
When combined with the unfunded liability from the State Employees Retirement System, Pennsylvania is still facing $50 billion in pension debt…
French Leader Urges End to Sanctions Against Russia Over Ukraine
NEW YORK TIMES: …Backing President Vladimir V. Putin into a corner will not work, he said, giving a high-level voice to what is seen as mounting sanctions fatigue among European politicians, as the Ukraine crisis lurches into a second year. “I’m not for the policy of attaining goals by making things worse,” [President François Hollande] […]
Students cover more of their public university tuition now than state governments
WASHINGTON POST: It used to be that attending a public university all but guaranteed graduating with little to no debt. State governments funneled enough money into higher education that families could send their kids to a local school without worrying about taking out a second mortgage or private loans to pay their way. Not so […]
‘What’s the Matter with Economics?’: An Exchange
“Yes, underregulated—which brings me back to the invisible hand. I thought I had laid this issue to rest by agreeing with Madrick that ‘the Invisible Hand is an approximation, usually not applicable in the real world without significant modification’ (his words). That’s right. And those modifications point toward, inter alia, antitrust laws, consumer protection, fair labor standards, health and safety regulation, financial regulation, and much more.
Most Crimeans are content with Russian take over
Right after the Russian take over of the Crimean peninsula, writing about situation in Crimea seemed easy. First thing that was attracting attention was the obvious excesses of Russian nationalism. In one high school the Ukrainian language books were burned in the schoolyard;