Politics
Whistleblowers Raise Grave Concerns with Trump Administration’s Efforts to Transfer Sensitive Nuclear Technology to Saudi Arabia; House Chairs Tell Barr They Expect Mueller Report to Be Made Public
This interim staff report was prepared for Rep. Elijah E. Cummings, the Chairman of the Committee on Oversight and Reform, after multiple whistleblowers came forward to warn about efforts inside the White House to rush the transfer of highly sensitive US nuclear technology to Saudi Arabia in potential violation of the Atomic Energy Act and without review by Congress as required by law — efforts that may be ongoing to this day. more »
DNC Winter Meeting: Using Social Media and Databases to "Create the Electorate We Want"
Jo Freeman writes: Unlike the Republican Party, the Democratic Party is composed of constituencies. These have changed over time, but they have their own agendas. At the winter meeting, fourteen different Councils and Caucuses met separately for 90 minutes each. I went to five: Senior (which met jointly with Disability), Labor, LGBTQ, Women’s and Black. At each of these meetings, I heard how important each group’s 2018 vote had been to the Democratic wave — even when a little "interpretation" was required. For example, seniors continued to favor Republican candidates in 2018, but not as much as in previous years. more »
GAO: A Comprehensive Re-evaluation Needed to Better Promote Future Retirement Security
Congress generally has sought to address retirement-related issues in an incremental fashion. Also, no one agency is responsible for overseeing the US retirement system in its entirety, so there is no obvious federal agency to lead a comprehensive reform effort. It has been nearly 40 years since a federal commission has conducted a comprehensive evaluation of the nation's approach to financing retirement. Without a more comprehensive re-evaluation of the challenges across all three pillars of the system, it may be difficult to identify effective, enduring solutions. Unless timely action is taken, many older Americans risk not having sufficient means for a secure and dignified retirement. more »
Are Border Walls Necessary? What the Research Says About Them
Here in the US, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has erected more than 650 miles of fence and other types of barrier along the almost 2,000-mile US-Mexico border. Even before President Donald Trump took office, federal law required the barrier to be expanded by another almost 50 miles. In December, DHS announced that it had completed most of a $292 million project to build 40 miles of steel wall to replace “an outdated and operationally ineffective barrier” in the San Diego, El Centro and El Paso sectors of the border. Lawmakers have until Feb. 15 to reach a compromise on a new border security plan or there could be another government shutdown. more »
