Many American states have made unaffordable and unfunded promises to give lavish benefits to retired bureaucrats. Rather than talking about America's prospects of ending up like Greece, we should be learning a lesson from Brazil.
I was somewhat surprised to see a bunch of fringy right-wing organizations, among them the Institute for Liberty, the Taxpayers Protection Alliance and the Competitive Enterprise Institute, hold Republicans' feet to the fire over Vegas plutocrat and Trumpist Sheldon Adelson over the anti-Internet gambling earmark the GOP gave him in the Appropriations Bill in return for the millions of dollars he's spent on their political campaigns.
You know the safety net is in danger when lawmakers fire away and claim they’re trying to save it. On the first day of the new Congress, the House warned that Social Security benefits might need “saving”. The Congressional Budget Office twice ran the numbers on “saving” Medicare by raising the starting age from 65 to 67. It’s a shame, the story goes, but the money just isn’t there.
The number of large foundations has been consistently increasing. Some of these foundations are bulging with billions of dollars in assets that could be contributed to nonprofit “good works.” It is potentially the golden age of philanthropy, but unfortunately many areas of recognized need are too often ignored by foundation boards and their executives. Organizations with track records of effective advocacy and accomplishment stand ready to take on neglected problems of our society. Unfortunately, these groups lack adequate foundation support.
Why do progressives worry so much about Hillary making a deal with Wall Street to buy her the White House? What difference does it make? What can Wall Street do to hurt America anyway?
Although he hasn't announced it yet-- maybe because his spokesperson has other issues to deal with-- it's an open secret in Santa Clarita that Buck McKeon is retiring from congress to become a lobbyist for arms manufacturers.
