hard Michelle Obama’s ‘Becoming’ documentary highlights hard-working Chicago student By www.thestar.com Published On :: Fri, 8 May 2020 13:30:30 EDT The former first lady returned to her alma mater, Chicago’s Whitney M. Young Magnet High School, in November 2018 as part of her cross-country tour to promote her “Becoming” memoir, hosting an intimate discussion with 20 female students. Full Article
hard Little Richard, flamboyant and legendary rock ‘n’ roll pioneer, dead at 87 By www.thestar.com Published On :: Sat, 9 May 2020 11:08:00 EDT Born Richard Penniman, Little Richard was one of rock ‘n’ roll’s founding fathers who helped shatter the colour line on the music charts, joining Chuck Berry and Fats Domino in bringing what was once called “race music” into the mainstream. Full Article
hard Ben Shephard moved to tears following emotional moment on Good Morning Britain By www.hellomagazine.com Published On :: Fri, 08 May 20 07:53:00 +0000 To mark VE Day on Friday, Good Morning Britain spoke to many heroes from the World War II,... Full Article
hard Richard Madeley reveals the one thing wife Judy hates about being on camera By www.hellomagazine.com Published On :: Fri, 08 May 20 16:01:06 +0000 Fans are delighted to see Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan back on TV screens with their... Full Article
hard Rock Legend Little Richard Dead at 87 By www.eonline.com Published On :: Sat, 09 May 2020 15:14:00 GMT Music has lost one of its brightest stars. On Saturday morning, news broke that Little Richard had passed away. The music icon and founding father of Rock 'n' Roll was 87 years... Full Article
hard Rock 'n' Roll founding father Little Richard dies aged 87 By news.sky.com Published On :: Sat, 09 May 2020 14:58:00 +0100 Little Richard, one of the founding fathers of rock 'n' roll, has died at the age of 87, according to reports in the US. Full Article
hard La légende du rock and roll Little Richard meurt à l’âge de 87 ans By www.journaldemontreal.com Published On :: Sat, 09 May 2020 10:40:54 EDT Le pionnier américain du rock and roll, Little Richard, meurt à l’âge de 87 ans, rapporte le magazine Rolling Stone. Full Article
hard Southern California Bestsellers: Fiction and nonfiction hardcovers By www.latimes.com Published On :: Thu, 7 May 2020 10:00:17 -0400 Southern California Best Sellers, May 10, 2020 Full Article
hard The hard-won liberation of Hayley Williams: 'It wasn't beautiful. It was painful' By www.latimes.com Published On :: Thu, 7 May 2020 13:30:13 -0400 After 16 years as the frontwoman for Paramore, and following a broken marriage and a lot of therapy, Hayley Williams is releasing her first solo album. Full Article
hard A coronavirus debate on the apple orchard: Should migrant workers be allowed to sleep in bunk beds? By www.latimes.com Published On :: Thu, 7 May 2020 23:57:44 -0400 Washington state fruit growers say that a ban on bunk beds in farmworker housing would cut their seasonal work force in half, likely leading to food shortages and price hikes. Full Article
hard Little Richard Dead at 87 By www.tmz.com Published On :: 2020-05-09T14:06:20+00:00 Little Richard, a giant in the early stages of Rock 'n' Roll and beyond, has died. Richard had enormous influence over the genre, with insanely popular hits like the fantastically frenetic, "Tutti-Frutti" and "Long Tall Sally." The Beatles have… Full Article
hard Rock and roll pioneer Little Richard has died aged 87 By www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk Published On :: Sat, 9 May 2020 15:27:55 +0000 The music legend was credited with changing the face of music Full Article Celebs
hard Dr Richard Torbett is named as the new Chief Executive of the ABPI By www.pharmafile.com Published On :: Thu, 05 Dec 2019 14:57:51 +0000 The Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI) has appointed Dr Richard Torbett as its new Chief Executive. He will assume the position on 1 January 2020. The appointment comes after his predecessor, Mike Thompson, stepped down in June. He had served in the role since March 2016. Torbett was unanimously selected by the ABPI board after an external recruitment process with an executive search agency. read more Full Article Research and Development Medical Communications Sales and Marketing Business Services Manufacturing and Production
hard COVID-19 is a Perfect Storm of Hardship for US Immigrant Communities By blog.petrieflom.law.harvard.edu Published On :: Mon, 04 May 2020 12:00:05 +0000 Immigrant communities, along with communities of color and people experiencing existing health inequities, are expected to face disproportionate effects. The post COVID-19 is a Perfect Storm of Hardship for US Immigrant Communities appeared first on Bill of Health. Full Article Featured Health Law Policy Immigration Patient Care Public Health Race Social Determinants of Health coronavirus coronavirus pandemic COVID-19 COVID19 health disparities immigrants immigration and customs enforcement immigration status
hard United States Intervenes in Case Against EMC Corporation Alleging False Claims on Sales of Hardware, Software and Technology Services By www.justice.gov Published On :: Mon, 2 Mar 2009 18:24:39 EST The United States has intervened and filed a complaint in a qui tam suit accusing EMC Corp. of failing to disclose its commercial pricing practices during negotiation of its General Services Administration (GSA) contracts and of providing improper payments and other things of value to Systems Integrators and other Alliance Partners on contracts with government agencies. Full Article OPA Press Releases
hard Bill Allen and Richard Smith, Former Officers of VECO Corporation, Sentenced for Roles in Alaska Public Corruption Scheme By www.justice.gov Published On :: Wed, 28 Oct 2009 17:36:30 EDT Bill J. Allen and Richard L. Smith were each sentenced in separate hearings today for their participation in a corruption scheme in which they provided approximately $395,000 in corrupt payments to public officials from the state of Alaska. Full Article OPA Press Releases
hard Justice Department Enters Agreement with Alameda County, California, Sheriff to Guarantee Effective Communication for Persons Who Are Deaf, Hard of Hearing or Deaf-Blind By www.justice.gov Published On :: Tue, 2 Feb 2010 17:14:18 EST The Department has reached a settlement agreement with the Alameda County, Calif., Sheriff’s Office, under which it will provide sign language interpreters and other auxiliary aids and services to arrestees, detainees, suspects, victims, witnesses, complainants and visitors who are deaf, hard of hearing or deaf-blind at two jails. Full Article OPA Press Releases
hard Georgia Food Equipment Hardware Manufacturer and Its Former President Agree to Plead Guilty to Customer Allocation Conspiracy By www.justice.gov Published On :: Thu, 6 May 2010 13:46:10 EDT A New York corporation, whose principal place of business is Newnan, Ga., and its former president have agreed to plead guilty to conspiring to allocate customers for the sale of food service equipment hardware, including walk-in refrigeration equipment. Full Article OPA Press Releases
hard Departments of Justice and Homeland Security Announce 30 Convictions, More Than $143 Million in Seizures from Initiative Targeting Traffickers in Counterfeit Network Hardware By www.justice.gov Published On :: Thu, 6 May 2010 13:47:45 EDT Operation Network Raider, a domestic and international enforcement initiative targeting the illegal distribution of counterfeit network hardware manufactured in China, has resulted in 30 felony convictions and more than 700 seizures of counterfeit Cisco network hardware and labels with an estimated retail value of more than $143 million. Full Article OPA Press Releases
hard Georgia Manufacturer of Food Service Equipment Hardware Pays $3.3 Million Fine for Role in Customer Allocation Conspiracy By www.justice.gov Published On :: Tue, 17 Aug 2010 12:25:27 EDT A New York corporation, whose principal place of business is Newnan, Ga., was sentenced to pay a $3.3 million criminal fine for conspiring to allocate customers in the food service equipment hardware market, including walk-in refrigeration equipment. Full Article OPA Press Releases
hard Former President of New Jersey Manufacturer and Distributor of Food Service Equipment Hardware Charged with Conspiracy to Allocate Customers By www.justice.gov Published On :: Tue, 2 Nov 2010 16:57:43 EDT An Atlanta grand jury returned an indictment today against the former president and chief executive officer of a Lakewood, N.J.-based manufacturer and distributor of food service equipment hardware, for conspiring to allocate customers for the sale of commercial and institutional food service equipment hardware. Full Article OPA Press Releases
hard Minnesota-based National Hardware Store Distributor Fastenal to Pay U.S. $6.25 Million to Resolve False Claims Act Allegations By www.justice.gov Published On :: Thu, 13 Jan 2011 12:56:57 EST Fastenal Company, a national hardware store distributor, has reached a settlement with the United States following an investigation of alleged false claims in connection with a General Services Administration contract. Full Article OPA Press Releases
hard Justice Department Reaches Agreement with Arizona Medical Center to Ensure Effective Communication with Individuals Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing By www.justice.gov Published On :: Mon, 2 May 2011 16:14:47 EDT “All individuals have a right to go to the hospital and communicate with medical staff without having to sign a waiver of liability, and hospitals have a responsibility to ensure that individuals get effective communication,” said Thomas E. Perez, Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division. Full Article OPA Press Releases
hard Justice Department Settles with Lowe’s Hardware Store for USERRA Violations By www.justice.gov Published On :: Thu, 3 Nov 2011 14:34:13 EDT Lowe’s, a national hardware store chain, has agreed to settle the Justice Department’s claims alleging that the company violated the Uniform Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) when it terminated the employment of Matthew King, a U.S. Army Guard member and Iraq War veteran, without just cause. Full Article OPA Press Releases
hard Statement of Deputy Section Chief Richard Downing Before the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism and Homeland Security By www.justice.gov Published On :: Tue, 15 Nov 2011 12:01:18 EST "The Administration has responded to Congress’ call for input on the cybersecurity legislation that our Nation needs, and we look forward to engaging with Congress and, specifically, this Committee as you move forward on this important issue," said Deputy Section Chief Richard Downing. Full Article Speech
hard Illinois-based Hardware Distributor W.W. Grainger Pays US $70 Million to Resolve False Claims Act Allegations By www.justice.gov Published On :: Wed, 26 Dec 2012 15:37:35 EST W.W. Grainger Inc. has agreed to pay the United States $70 million to resolve allegations that it submitted false claims under contracts with the General Services Administration (GSA) and the U.S. Postal Services (USPS), the Department of Justice announced today. Grainger is a national hardware distributor headquartered in Lake Forest, Illinois. Full Article OPA Press Releases
hard Justice Department Reaches Settlement with Two Colorado Law Enforcement Agencies to Improve Communication with People Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing By www.justice.gov Published On :: Thu, 21 Mar 2013 16:59:10 EDT The Justice Department announced today that it has reached a cooperative settlement agreement with the Arapahoe, Colo., County Sheriff’s Office under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). This agreement is a companion to one reached on March 8, 2013, with the city of Englewood, Colo. Full Article OPA Press Releases
hard Former Congressman Richard G. Renzi Convicted of Extortion and Bribery in Illegal Federal Land Swap By www.justice.gov Published On :: Tue, 11 Jun 2013 21:30:00 EDT A former U.S. Congressman and a real-estate investor were convicted today by a federal jury in Tucson, Ariz., of conspiring together to extort and bribe individuals seeking a federal land exchange. Full Article OPA Press Releases
hard Justice Department Reaches Settlement with the City of Henderson, Nev. to Improve Law Enforcement Communications with People Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing By www.justice.gov Published On :: Mon, 5 Aug 2013 17:09:59 EDT The Justice Department announced today that it has reached a cooperative settlement agreement with the city of Henderson, Nev. under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Full Article OPA Press Releases
hard Former Congressman Richard G. Renzi Sentenced for Extortion and Bribery in Illegal Federal Land Swap By www.justice.gov Published On :: Mon, 28 Oct 2013 16:17:06 EDT Former U.S. Congressman Rick Renzi was sentenced today to serve 36 months in prison following his June conviction by a federal jury in Tucson, Ariz., for extortion, bribery, insurance fraud, money laundering and racketeering. Renzi’s co-defendant, James Sandlin, was also sentenced today to serve 18 months in prison for his role in the extortion, bribery and money laundering scheme. Full Article OPA Press Releases
hard The following joint statement was released Friday by FBI Special Agent in Charge William P. Woods, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Missouri Richard G. Callahan and Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division Molly Moran By www.justice.gov Published On :: Thu, 28 Aug 2014 14:18:32 EDT The former chief executive officer of Hanover Corporation was sentenced today to serve 14 years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release and ordered to pay $14,784,983.75 in restitution for orchestrating an $18 million Ponzi scheme Full Article OPA Press Releases
hard The Balancing Act: Taking A Systematic Approach To Hard Decisions In Times Of Rapid Change By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Mon, 30 Mar 2020 10:49:04 +0000 This blog was written by Ankit Mahadevia, CEO of Spero Therapeutics, as part of the From The Trenches feature of LifeSciVC. If CEOs have empowered their teams effectively, they have three roles during times of rapid change: Motivator in chief The post The Balancing Act: Taking A Systematic Approach To Hard Decisions In Times Of Rapid Change appeared first on LifeSciVC. Full Article Corporate Culture From The Trenches Leadership
hard On the Same Day Sen. Richard Burr Dumped Stock, So Did His Brother-in-Law. Then the Market Crashed. By tracking.feedpress.it Published On :: 2020-05-06T18:00:00-04:00 by Robert Faturechi and Derek Willis ProPublica is a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power. Sign up to receive our biggest stories as soon as they’re published. Sen. Richard Burr was not the only member of his family to sell off a significant portion of his stock holdings in February, ahead of the market crash spurred by coronavirus fears. On the same day Burr sold, his brother-in-law also dumped tens of thousands of dollars worth of shares. The market fell by more than 30% in the subsequent month. Burr’s brother-in-law, Gerald Fauth, who has a post on the National Mediation Board, sold between $97,000 and $280,000 worth of shares in six companies — including several that have been hit particularly hard in the market swoon and economic downturn. A person who picked up Fauth’s phone on Wednesday hung up when asked if Fauth and Burr had discussed the sales in advance. In 2017, President Donald Trump appointed Fauth to the three-person board of the National Mediation Board, a federal agency that facilitates labor-management relations within the nation’s railroad and airline industries. He was previously a lobbyist and president of his own transportation economic consulting firm, G.W. Fauth & Associates. Burr came under scrutiny after ProPublica reported that he sold off a significant percentage of his stocks shortly before the market tanked, unloading between $628,000 and $1.72 million of his holdings on Feb. 13 in 33 separate transactions. As chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee and a member of the health committee, Burr had access to the government’s most highly classified information about threats to America’s security and public health concerns. Before his sell-off, Burr had assured the public that the federal government was well-prepared to handle the virus. In a Feb. 7 op-ed that he co-authored with another senator, he said “the United States today is better prepared than ever before to face emerging public health threats, like the coronavirus.” That month however, according to a recording obtained by NPR, Burr had given a VIP group at an exclusive social club a much more dire preview of the economic impact of the the coronavirus, warning it could curtail business travel, cause schools to be closed and result in the military mobilizing to compensate for overwhelmed hospitals. The timing of Burr’s stock sales drew widespread outrage, allegations of insider trading, calls for his resignation and an FBI investigation. Gerald Fauth, Burr’s brother-in-law, was appointed by Trump to the National Mediation Board in 2017. (National Mediation Board via Wikipedia) Burr defended his actions, saying he relied solely on public information, including CNBC reports, to inform his trades and did not rely on information he obtained as a senator. Fauth avoided between $37,000 and $118,000 in losses by selling off when he did, considering how steeply the companies’ shares fell in recent weeks, according to an analysis by Luke Brindle-Khym, a partner and general counsel of Manhattan-based investigative firm QRI. Brindle-Khym obtained Fauth’s financial disclosure from the Office of Government Ethics and shared it with ProPublica. Government forms only require that the value of stock trades be disclosed in ranges. After the February sales, the total value of Fauth’s individual stock holdings appears to be between $680,000 and $2 million. Alice Fisher, Burr’s attorney, told ProPublica that “Sen. Burr participated in the stock market based on public information and he did not coordinate his decision to trade on Feb. 13 with Mr. Fauth.” She did not respond to a question about whether Burr discussed anything he learned as a senator with Fauth or any other relatives. A review of Fauth’s financial disclosure forms since 2017 show that he is not a frequent stock trader, but that he also had a major day of sales in August 2019. On Feb. 13, Fauth or his spouse sold between $15,001 and $50,000 of Altria, the tobacco company; between $50,001 and $100,000 of snack food maker Mondelez International; and between $1,001 and $15,000 of home furnishings retailer Williams-Sonoma. He also sold stakes in several oil companies, which have been hit particularly hard, including between $15,001 and $50,000 of Chevron; between $1,001 and $15,000 of BP and between $15,001 and $50,000 of Royal Dutch Shell. The finances of the Burrs and Fauths have intersected before. Federal Election Commission records show that Burr’s leadership PAC, Next Century Fund, has paid $120,348 since 2002 to his sister-in-law, Mary Fauth, Gerald’s wife, who serves as treasurer. The PAC has also paid $104,850 in rent and utilities over the same period to 116 S. Royal St. Partners, in which Gerald Fauth is a partner. Do you have access to information about stock trading by Trump administration officials or members of Congress that should be public? Email robert.faturechi@propublica.org or reach him on Signal/WhatsApp at 213-271-7217. Here’s how to send tips and documents to ProPublica securely. Update, May 6, 2020: This story was updated with new comment from Sen. Richard Burr’s attorney. Full Article
hard Orchard Therapeutics cuts 25% of staffers, rethinks pipeline, closes California site By www.fiercebiotech.com Published On :: Fri, 08 May 2020 13:21:08 +0000 Tough times at Orchard Therapeutics as it swings the ax across staffers and facilities, phases in new pipeline advances and reduces interest in others. Full Article
hard Even if you want to buy a home, it's harder now to get a loan. Or tap home equity By www.latimes.com Published On :: Thu, 7 May 2020 16:46:58 -0400 As the economy has cratered, mortgage lenders tightened standards for people who are still interested in buying or refinancing a home. Full Article
hard Pour one out for 2020 grads. It'll be hard to find a job in this market By www.latimes.com Published On :: Fri, 8 May 2020 13:13:08 -0400 The coronavirus outbreak makes finding jobs more difficult for everyone. College seniors face unique career challenges. Full Article
hard Indonesia’s MDI Ventures appoints former AC Ventures partner Donald Wihardja as CEO By www.dealstreetasia.com Published On :: Fri, 08 May 2020 05:25:33 +0000 Wihardja’s appointment comes nine months after his predecessor, former MDI Ventures CEO Nicko Widjaja, quit to join BRI Ventures. The post Indonesia’s MDI Ventures appoints former AC Ventures partner Donald Wihardja as CEO appeared first on DealStreetAsia. Full Article AC Ventures MDI Ventures
hard Now’s the time to make hard decisions, fix fundamentals: Sequoia’s Abheek Anand By www.dealstreetasia.com Published On :: Fri, 08 May 2020 19:42:02 +0000 There's little point in founders fixating on growth this year, according to Anand. The post Now’s the time to make hard decisions, fix fundamentals: Sequoia’s Abheek Anand appeared first on DealStreetAsia. Full Article Sequoia Capital India
hard Why It's So Hard to Junk Bad Decisions—Edging Closer to Understanding “Sunk Cost” By feeds.nature.com Published On :: 2018-10-11 Humans, rats and mice all exhibit the decision-making phenomenon, but new research suggests not all choices are equally vulnerable to it Full Article
hard Some Trump Officials Take Harder Actions on China During Pandemic By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: May 1, 2020 May 1, 2020Since the coronavirus spread from a metropolis on the Yangtze River across the globe, hard-liners in both Washington and Beijing have accelerated efforts to decouple elements of the relationship. Full Article
hard Some Trump Officials Take Harder Actions on China During Pandemic By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: May 1, 2020 May 1, 2020Since the coronavirus spread from a metropolis on the Yangtze River across the globe, hard-liners in both Washington and Beijing have accelerated efforts to decouple elements of the relationship. Full Article
hard Some Trump Officials Take Harder Actions on China During Pandemic By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: May 1, 2020 May 1, 2020Since the coronavirus spread from a metropolis on the Yangtze River across the globe, hard-liners in both Washington and Beijing have accelerated efforts to decouple elements of the relationship. Full Article
hard Coulthard slams 'irresponsible' approach to new teams By en.espnf1.com Published On :: Tue, 09 Mar 2010 09:13:24 GMT David Coulthard has added his voice to those expressing concern about the presence of three new Formula One team on the grid this season Full Article
hard Some Trump Officials Take Harder Actions on China During Pandemic By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: May 1, 2020 May 1, 2020Since the coronavirus spread from a metropolis on the Yangtze River across the globe, hard-liners in both Washington and Beijing have accelerated efforts to decouple elements of the relationship. Full Article
hard Schumacher still faces 'hard fight' one year on By en.espnf1.com Published On :: Mon, 29 Dec 2014 11:37:28 GMT Michael Schumacher still faces a long journey to recovery from the injuries sustained in a skiing accident one year ago, according to his manager Full Article
hard Hard Road to Damascus: A Crisis Simulation of U.S.-Iranian Confrontation Over Syria By webfeeds.brookings.edu Published On :: Mon, 13 Jan 2014 14:59:00 -0500 Last September, as part of its annual conference with the United States Central Command, the Saban Center for Middle East Policy at the Brookings Institution conducted a day-long simulation of a confrontation between the United States and Iran arising from a hypothetical scenario in which the Syrian opposition had made significant gains in its civil war and was on the verge of crushing the Assad regime. The simulation suggested that, even in the wake of President Rouhani’s ascension to power and the changed atmosphere between Tehran and Washington, there is still a risk of misunderstanding and miscalculation between the two sides. This new Middle East Memo examines the possible U.S. foreign policy lessons that emerged from this crisis simulation, and stresses the importance of communication, understanding the Saudi-Iran conflict and the difficulty in limited interventions. Downloads Hard Road to Damascus: A Crisis Simulation of U.S.-Iranian Confrontation over Syria Authors Kenneth M. Pollack Image Source: © Stringer . / Reuters Full Article
hard Generational war over the budget? Hard to see it in the numbers By webfeeds.brookings.edu Published On :: Wed, 02 Dec 2015 09:00:00 -0500 Government spending on the elderly continues to climb. Fueled by rapid growth in the number of Americans over age 65 and increased spending on benefits per person, public expenditures devoted to the elderly continue to edge up. A crucial question for future policy making is whether rising outlays on programs for the aged will squeeze out spending on programs for children, especially investments in their schooling. Many pessimists think this outcome is inevitable, and they urge us to reduce government commitments to the elderly to make room for spending on the young. Federal spending is especially concentrated on the elderly. The Urban Institute publishes annual estimates of federal outlays on children and adults over 65. The estimates inevitably show a huge imbalance in spending on the two groups. In 2011, federal spending for the elderly amounted to almost $28,000 per person over 65. In the same year, per capita spending on Americans under 19 amounted to just $4,900 per person. This means aged Americans received $5.72 in federal spending for every $1.00 received by a child 18 or younger. The Urban Institute’s latest estimates show that federal spending on youngsters has trended down in recent years. After reaching a peak of about $500 billion in 2010, expenditures on children fell 7 percent by 2012, and they have remained unchanged since then. Future prospects are not encouraging. Urban Institute analysts predict that from 2014 to 2025, only 2 percent of federal spending growth will go to children. Almost 60 percent will be swallowed up by additional outlays on Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. Spending on many federal programs that provide benefits to children are financed out of discretionary programs. In contrast, big public programs for the aged seem to run on automatic pilot, with spending linked to changes in the cost of living and the size of the population past 65. Spending on most domestic discretionary programs is expected to be severely constrained as a result of Congressionally imposed budget caps. This is bad news for many federal programs targeted on children. Focusing solely on federal government spending gives a misleading picture, however. While federal spending is heavily concentrated on the elderly, state and local spending tilts toward programs that help children, notably, through public school budgets. Whereas aged Americans receive $5.72 in federal spending for each $1.00 received by someone under 19, those under 19 receive $10.11 in state and local spending for each $1.00 received by someone who is 65 or older. To be sure, total federal spending is considerably greater than that of state and local governments, but the imbalance of public spending on the young and the old is less extreme than federal budget statistics suggest. Government spending on the aged is high because legislators (and voters) decided to establish government-backed pensions—through Social Security—in the 1930s and government-guaranteed health insurance for the elderly—through Medicare—in the 1960s. In view of the overwhelming and enduring popularity of these two programs, most voters appear to think this was a sensible choice. One implication of the policies is that Americans past 65 derive a sizable percentage of their retirement income, and an even bigger share of their health care, from public budgets. The nation has not made an equivalent commitment to support the incomes or guarantee the health insurance of Americans under 65, except in special circumstances. Those circumstances include temporary unemployment, a permanent work disability, and low household income. Families headed by someone under 65 are expected to derive their support mainly from their jobs and from their own savings. If non-aged families prosper, government spending on them falls. If instead breadwinners become disabled or lose their jobs, government spending will increase as a result of higher disability payments, unemployment and food stamp benefits, and public assistance rolls. Nearly all children are raised in families headed by someone under 65. The government benefits they receive, except for free public schooling, increase in bad times and should decline when the unemployment rate falls. The Urban Institute’s numbers are instructive. Between 2007 and 2011, real federal spending on children increased 27 percent, or more than 6 percent a year, as the unemployment rate soared in the Great Recession. Federal spending on children then fell as unemployment—and outlays on government transfer payments—shrank. For many categories of public spending on children, we cannot assume that lower spending signals a weaker commitment to children’s well-being. Instead it may signal a healthier private economy, a lower unemployment rate, and faster improvement in breadwinner incomes. Of course, some components of government spending on children do not automatically rise in a slumping economy or shrink when breadwinners’ earnings improve. Public investments in children’s preschool and K-12 education should be adjusted to reflect the needs of children for compensatory instruction and the expected payoff of added investment in schooling. Statistics on public school budgets show that spending per pupil has increased considerably faster than inflation and faster than GDP per person over the past seven decades (see Chart 1). Whether spending has increased as fast as warranted is debatable, but rising government spending on the aged has not caused per-pupil spending on K-12 schools to shrink. Government spending on children’s health has also increased over time as public insurance for children has been expanded. In 2014 just 6 percent of Americans under age 19 lacked health insurance for the entire year. The only age group with higher health insurance coverage was the population past 65, which is covered by Medicare (see Chart 2). The main explanation for rising insurance coverage among children is that federal and state health insurance programs have been expanded to cover most low-income children. Insurance coverage of children can and should be improved, but a sizeable expansion of public insurance has occurred despite the increase in public spending on the elderly. The presumption that rising outlays on programs for Americans past 65 must come at the expense of spending on children rests on the unstated assumption that voters will zealously defend programs for the aged while tolerating cuts in programs that fund education, income protection, and health coverage for the young. The trend toward higher public spending on the elderly has been underway for at least five decades, but the predicted cuts in spending on the young have yet to materialize. Editor's Note: this op-ed first appeared in Real Clear Markets. Authors Gary Burtless Publication: Real Clear Markets Full Article
hard The next COVID-19 relief bill must include massive aid to states, especially the hardest-hit areas By webfeeds.brookings.edu Published On :: Tue, 28 Apr 2020 15:32:57 +0000 Amid rising layoffs and rampant uncertainty during the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s a good thing that Democrats in the House of Representatives say they plan to move quickly to advance the next big coronavirus relief package. Especially important is the fact that Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) seems determined to build the next package around a generous infusion… Full Article
hard We don’t need a map to tell us who COVID-19 hits the hardest in St. Louis By webfeeds.brookings.edu Published On :: Mon, 06 Apr 2020 15:48:19 +0000 On April 1, the City of St. Louis released the number of confirmed cases of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) by zip code. Although the number of COVID-19 tests conducted by zip code has not yet been disclosed by officials—which suggests that the data are not fully representative of all cases—we do see stark differences in… Full Article
hard Setting the right economic development goals is hard work By webfeeds.brookings.edu Published On :: Mon, 04 Apr 2016 12:20:00 -0400 Amy Liu’s recent paper, “Remaking Economic Development,” is disruptive in that it rightfully undercuts the shaky foundation of what draws many practitioners to the field: the idea that success is simply structuring transactions to attract new jobs and investment. These two metrics alone can’t diagnose the economic health or trajectory of a community. Instead, as the paper outlines, setting the right goals—measured by growth, prosperity, and inclusion—provides a much richer framework for a community’s trajectory, vibrancy, and opportunity. Goal-setting clarifies how a community defines success and when it has been achieved, and promotes collaboration and increases buy-in from diverse stakeholders. If, as Liu argues, goals were designed to lead to growth, prosperity, and inclusion, metro areas would make dramatically different choices around policies, investments, and priorities, and people and communities would likely be in an overall stronger economic position. However, these goals represent a longer-term proposition than conventional measures, and, perhaps naively, “Remaking Economic Development” fails to acknowledge the barriers that prevent most communities from setting the right goals: Goals should focus on long-term interests, but election cycles prioritize clear near-term political wins. Meaty investments in infrastructure, workforce development, and fiscal policy reform needed to shift the competitive position of a community rarely yield easily defined and clearly increased short-term political capital. Economies function as regions, but many municipal strategies are not aligned with regional goals. A metropolitan area is the logical unit to measure success, but civic leaders are elected from individual municipalities, or from a state that has a larger focus. Although it’s easier to market a region of 5 million people than a city of 650,000, in Detroit, intramural competition between cities and suburbs, suburbs and suburbs, and even neighborhoods within the city all undermine the cooperative effort to set goals regionally. The failure of mayors within a region to recognize their economic connectedness is a huge problem and fuels wasteful incentive battles over retail and other projects that are not economic drivers. Goal-setting takes time, money, and requires data, but capacity is in short supply. Most economic developers and political leaders lack the framework, experience, and manpower to effectively lead a goal-setting process. And if the choice is between collectively setting goals or managing a flurry of “bird-in-hand” transactions, the transaction under consideration will always receive resources first. Leaders are primarily evaluated on near term jobs and investment figures; not having the time to lead a goal-setting process and, in many cases, lacking the approach and datasets to appropriately undertake this activity make goal-setting easy to eliminate. Despite these obstacles, setting the right goals is critical to building healthy communities. To combat political challenges, strong collaboration between business and public sector leadership is crucial, as is the recognition of diverse sub-economies with different value propositions and opportunities. Leaders must ultimately acknowledge that near term wins mean little if they are leading down a path that will not fundamentally address the long-term investment climate and the region’s productive capacities, grow wages or address employment levels, and offer broad opportunities for diverse economic participation. The following steps can help: Harness diverse, cross-sectoral perspectives. Fundamentally, businesses understand their industries better than anyone else; hence the public sector should identify ways to encourage growth, increased productivity, greater inclusion, and more competitiveness in targeted sectors by listening to businesses and jointly setting goals that marry private sector profit and public economic and social interests effectively. This approach may offset some of the other realities of short election cycles and limited capacity to participate in goal-setting or planning processes. Identify unique roles for communities within a larger regional framework. Although competition between local cities may inhibit the most meaningful dialogue and alignment of interests, deeper analysis often produces greater clarity on the niche opportunities for different communities. For example, although Detroit has a strong manufacturing base, a major project requiring more than 40 acres will likely have better site options in the suburbs. In the same vein, companies seeking a vibrant urban campus with easy access to food, living, and other amenities are likely better suited to Detroit than one of the surrounding communities. That said, both companies are likely to draw employees from communities all over the region. Effective goal-setting includes analysis that should allow municipalities to uncover their niche opportunities within a larger regional framework. Balance short-term and long-term priorities and successes. The truth is that near term investments are vital in creating momentum, providing stability, and creating jobs while long-term investments, policy decisions, and industry-focused asset development fundamentally position an economy to win over time. For example, incentives play an important role in offsetting competitive disadvantages in the short-term and should be used as a way to fill the gap while a community fixes the bigger economic challenges, ranging from exorbitant development costs to workforce development issues. The disconnect is that many communities are not focusing incentives on strategic, long-term priorities. "Remaking Economic Development” elegantly exposes the shortsightedness toward aggressive deal-making that often prevents communities from thoughtfully building their long-term economic strength with an eye on growth, prosperity, and inclusion. Sadly, the economic development profession has historically focused on growth without much attention to prosperity and inclusion, which are arguably most important in building a sustainable economy. Goal-setting—painful as it may be—is the first step towards remaking the practice and establishing an honest foundation to build a better economy in the future. Authors Rodrick Miller Image Source: © Rebecca Cook / Reuters Full Article