The Trump administration’s controversial proposal to transform some Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (food stamps) benefits into “America’s Harvest Box,” did not go over well at a national meeting of anti-hunger advocates. “As with any innovative idea,” said Food and Nutrition Service Administrator Brandon Lipps, speaking at the Anti-Hunger Policy Conference in Washington on Monday, “there […]
Blog: TAPPED
Posted inHealth and Social Policy
The Overlooked Electoral Power of Voters with Disabilities
A new national poll of voters with disabilities released this week spotlights a dramatic shift in their political leanings toward Democrats. Numbering in the tens of millions, voters in the disability community boast a huge political and electoral power that could prove decisive in this year’s midterms. Yet for a group with such potentially significant […]
Posted inMoney, Politics, and Power
Campaign to Impeach Trump to Hold Thousands of Parties Across the U.S.
Need to Impeach, a group committed to paving the way to impeach Donald Trump, founded by billionaire activist and ex-hedge fund manager Tom Steyer, has organized thousands of people to sign up to host impeachment-themed parties over President’s Day weekend. The parties, which are planned for Saturday, February 17, will take place in every state, […]
Posted inMoney, Politics, and Power
The White House’s Internal Trade War Heats Up
There’s a trade war brewing in the White House—and President Trump will soon have to choose a side. In January, Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross recommended protectionist tariffs on steel and aluminum imports, the specifics of which were released on Friday: Ross wants Trump to place steep tariffs and quotas on the world’s biggest dumpers of […]
Posted inCivil Rights in America
Teachers Struggle to Teach Students About Slavery
Educators struggle to teach their students about the nuances of slavery, its crucial role in shaping U.S. history, and its lasting impact on African Americans, according to a new study conducted by the Southern Poverty Law Center. The organization surveyed 1,000 high school seniors across the U.S. Only 8 percent of students could identify slavery […]
Posted inHealth and Social Policy
Congress Looks to Weaken the Americans with Disabilities Act
No area is safe from plunder in the Trump era, even decades-old laws as seemingly untouchable as the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Congress is expected to vote on the ADA Education and Reform Act this week (H.R. 620), which has already passed the House Judiciary Committee. Don’t be fooled by the “reform” in […]
Posted inEconomic Policy
Welcome to the One-Time Bonus Economy, Where Your Pay Doesn’t Go Up
The new trend of companies rewarding employees more often with one-time bonuses and less often with permanent pay increases has drawn greater attention in the aftermath of the Trump tax cuts, as corporations have made flashy announcements about how they are delivering one-off rewards to employees (though not all employees). The New York Times had […]
Posted inEconomic Policy
Why Are Uber Drivers Working 12-Hour Shifts?
In a bid to combat drowsy driving, Uber recently announced a new policy limiting drivers to 12-hour shifts without breaks. After 12 hours, the app will go offline, and drivers must take at least a six-hour break. While the effort to encourage safer driving is laudable, one must ask: Uber drivers sometimes work nonstop for […]
Posted inEducation in America
Study: International Students Avoiding U.S. Graduate Schools
International students vote with their feet. For the first time in more than a decade, university admissions officials reported a decrease in the number of applications to graduate school programs from international students, according to a recent Council of Graduate Schools study. Researchers found that international graduate applications declined by 3 percent and first-time enrollments […]
Posted inMoney, Politics, and Power
Scott Walker Doubles Down on Foxconn-omics
It was just a few months ago that Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker unveiled a massive deal that would give the Taiwanese manufacturing giant Foxconn $3 billion in tax subsidies to open a $10 billion LCD TV factory, promising to bring 13,000 jobs to southeastern Wisconsin. That’s a public cost of $230,000 per job. Initial estimates […]
