The 112th Congress, which ended its term on January 3, 2013, was labeled the "worst" and "least productive" Congress ever by a variety of sources. The 113th Congress, which will have only four months to serve to complete its term upon returning to session in September from its current recess, appears well positioned to displace the 112th in the rankings at the race to the bottom. This is primarily due to the performance - or lack thereof of - in the House of Representatives. With the … [Read more...]
Before the Congressional Recess: Two Steps Forward, Three Steps Back
In a stunning reversal of form, in the month or so before adjourning for recess, Congress managed to pass two meaningful pieces of legislation: The Workforce Investment and Opportunity Act (WIOA) and the Veterans Access Choice and Accountability Act (VA reform bill) For a second it appeared that this "do-nothing" Congress was on to something and starting to take positive actions that might bring its approval rating with the American public out of the toilet. Then, in the … [Read more...]
The Export-Import Bank Debate: Tempest in the Tea Party Pot
The charter of the Export-Import Bank (Ex-Im Bank or Bank) must be reauthorized by the end of September. Given the current heated debate it is likely that its fate will not be determined until the 11th hour. What is going on right now is essentially a confrontation between ideology and methodology. The ideology is that of the Tea Party and conservative Republicans who insist the government should not be interfering in the free market system. The methodology is the work of the Ex-Im Bank in … [Read more...]
United States Big Business: Acting Local. Paying Global
If you walked into the Walgreens at Bee Ridge and Tamiami Trail in Sarasota, Florida on this past 4th of July weekend, you would have found an end cap of American flags, plates, cups, and napkins. We imagine that you would have found similar displays of patriotic paraphernalia at the more than 8,000 Walgreen drugstores across the United States. There's only one problem, as Walgreens has shown over the past few weeks, this faux patriotism is more about profits than dedication to country. What … [Read more...]
Not So “Common Core”: The Reforming of Educational Reform
From 2009 to 2013, there was a rush to develop, embrace and implement the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) for K-12 education. Since then, there has been a rush to reject, resist and rewrite the CCSS. The rush to judgment in both instances was and is probably misplaced. It's time to take a deep breath and put this attempt at meaningful educational reform into perspective. Or, as Simon and Garfunkel might say it, "Slow down you move too fast. Got to make the standards last now." The … [Read more...]
Buy the Numbers? Our Confounding and Insufficient Government Statistics
On June 6, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) announced the economy added 217,000 jobs in May compared to an adjusted 282,000 jobs for April. The BLS original numbers for April were 288,000 jobs created with unemployment having fallen by .4% from 6.7% to 6.3%. The April decline in unemployment may sound good. But, that's not necessarily so because the April drop was caused primarily by 800,000 people leaving the workforce At the end of May, the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) … [Read more...]
The ‘I’ in Team
In winning the NBA championship in a 4-1 game stomping of the LeBron James-dependent Miami Heat, the San Antonio Spurs disproved the old saying that there is no "I" in team. While that is literally true, it is not figuratively so. The "I" in team is the concept of "interdependence." Interdependence is what separates and distinguishes great "teams" from their counterparts. You can win a championship but still not be a great team. You can have many great players and not win a … [Read more...]
Prime Minister Modi and the U.S.: First a Visa. What Is in the Cards Next?
Before Narendra Modi was elected Prime Minister of India, it was widely reported that he had been denied a visa to visit the United States in 2005 because he did not intervene to stop bloody riots in which over 1,000 Muslims were killed in his state of Gujarat. There was speculation that the visa issue could become a stumbling block in terms of establishing relations with the new prime minister. President Obama took that speculation off the table immediately after Modi won the election by a … [Read more...]
California Dreaming: Sterling, Chrome, Salas
Some of the major sports stories over the past few weeks have had a California connection. First, there was Sterling -- Donald, that is. Then, there was Chrome -- California, that is. Now, there is Salas -- Lizette, that is. No sterling or chrome in her story, but it is a golden one. Each of these stories is different. But, they share one thing in common and that is they are the stuff of dreams. Donald Sterling's story is one of a dream that turned into a nightmare. This billionaire … [Read more...]
Capitalists in the 21st Century: Workers Must Step Forward
Thomas Piketty's new book, Capital in the 21st Century, which examines the nature and forecasts the consequences of wealth and income inequality has shot to the top of the best-seller's list since its release here in the United States on April 15. Based upon his analysis of two decades of data from 20 countries, Piketty, a French economist paints a rather gloomy picture of the U.S. In an article for The Financial Times, he writes that prior to World War I wealth inequalities were far greater … [Read more...]