Controversies
In Praise of Big Business: Michael Medved
There’s no denying Americans favor small businesses over big corporations, radio host Michael Medved writes, even though he insists this love of the underdog makes little sense. Poll after poll clearly shows how people see virtue and trust in the ... read more
The Dangerous Afterlife of Meth Lab Homes
When buying a home, it might not be a bad idea to ask, in addition to how the plumbing and foundation are, whether anyone ever cooked methamphetamine inside it. Living inside a former meth house can cause serious and debilitating health problems, ... read more
Who Are the Real Health Care Stakeholders?: Bill Moyers and Michael Winship
To understand the real Washington, DC, is to witness what goes on beyond the public hearings or prefabricated press conferences, write Bill Moyers and Michael Winship. Case in point: the debacle of Washington Post publisher Katharine Weymouth’s at... read more
The Mysterious Post-Katrina Death of Henry Glover
The FBI is now investigating the mysterious death of Henry Glover of New Orleans, who died on September 2, 2005, during the flooding of the city by Hurricane Katrina. According to resident Will Tanner, he found Glover, an African American, with a ... read more
Are State Governments Obsolete?: Neal Peirce
If we step back and really look at the condition of state government in the country, we see a mass of political failure, argues syndicated columnist Neal Peirce. Ten states ended their fiscal years still trying to resolve billion-dollar deficits, ... read more
Iraq War Veteran Leads Congress Battle to End “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”
Using his own experience as an Army veteran, Congressman Patrick Murphy (D-PA) is taking up the charge to revoke the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy, arguing that soldiers don’t care whether someone is gay or straight as long as everyone sticks tog... read more
Siegelman Case Whistleblower Fired
Tamarah Grimes, a Justice Department employee who accused Republican prosecutors of misconduct in the case against former Democratic Governor Donald Siegelman of Alabama, was fired last month for what she says was retaliation for her actions bac... read more
Iowa Coal Plant Tricks Air Pollution Monitors
Operators of one of the largest coal-burning plants in Iowa have been manipulating air pollution findings by changing the type of coal burned at critical times. Whenever the wind shifts direction near the Grain Processing Corp. facility in Muscati... read more
40 Marine Aircraft Missing
The V-22 Osprey has always been something of a problem child for the military. The hybrid part-helicopter-part-airplane suffered through enough development problems back in the 1980s that Dick Cheney, when he was Secretary of Defense under Ronald ... read more
Pentagon Intelligence Uses Careful Wording to Avoid Oversight
Whenever military officials label a secret activity “Operational Preparation of the Environment (OPE),” it prevents lawmakers on the House Intelligence Committee from overseeing the clandestine work. The problem is that the Department of Defense (... read more
Supreme Court Considers End to Ban on Corporate Election Financing
In a move described by one newspaper as “pure legal overreach,” the U.S. Supreme Court decided last week to hear a case in September that could have monumental ramifications for the financing of national elections. Although Citizens United vs. FEC... read more
Can USDA-Approved “Organic” Labels be Trusted?
As the fastest growing segment of the food industry, organic products now constitute a $23 billion a year market, thanks to half of the adult U.S. population buying organic some of or all the time. But flip-flopping by the federal government is st... read more
Federal Election Commission: $64 Million to Do Nothing
Violations of federal election law are likely to go unpunished these days, thanks to the partisan deadlock that’s hampering the Federal Election Commission (FEC). Divided 3-3 between Democratic and Republican appointees, the FEC has routinely fail... read more
Grand Jury Investigation of CIA Destruction of Torture Videos
Despite President Barack Obama’s pledge not to hold CIA agents accountable for their participation in the torture of suspected terrorists, the Justice Department has quietly continued a grand jury investigation begun during President George W. Bus... read more
Senate Bill Would Fine Those without Health Insurance
As part of the government’s effort to create universal health care, Americans who don’t purchase medical insurance coverage would be fined more than $1,000 under a plan currently in the U.S. Senate. Similar to laws requiring motorists to carry aut... read more
Another Lawsuit Over KBR Iraq Toxic Exposure
In addition to facing multiple class action lawsuits by U.S. soldiers over its open pit burning of garbage in Iraq and Afghanistan, defense contractor KBR Inc. is being sued by National Guardsmen from around the country for allegedly causing their... read more