Author: DFShow

50 Years Later, War on Poverty Is a Mixed Bag

January 5, 2014 - Reading List

WASHINGTON — To many Americans, the war on poverty declared 50 years ago by President Lyndon B. Johnson has largely failed. The poverty rate has fallen only to 15 percent from 19 percent in two generations, and 46 million Americans live in households where the government considers their income scarcely adequate. But looked at a different way, the federal government has succeeded in preventing the poverty rate from climbing far higher. There is broad consensus that the social welfare programs created since the New Deal have hugely improved living conditions for low-income Americans. At the same time, in recent […]

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Wisconsin Lawmaker Wants To Take Away Workers’ Weekends

January 5, 2014 - Reading List

By Bryce Covert on January 5, 2014 Wisconsin state Sen. Glenn Grothman (R) Wisconsin state Sen. Glenn Grothman (R) is pushing to undo the state’s law that employers have to provide their employees with at least one day off a week, the Huffington Post reports. The Huffington Post obtained an email Grothman sent to other state lawmakers on Friday in which he proposes legislation that “would allow an employee to voluntarily choose to work without one day of rest in seven.” State Rep. Mark Born (R) […]

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Gov. Cuomo’s Plan To Change Medical Marijuana Laws Could Benefit 100,000 Sick People In New York City Alone

January 5, 2014 - Reading List

By Alan Pyke on January 5, 2014 When New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s (D) proposal to legalize medical marijuana in the state via executive action comes into effect, as many as 100,000 individuals with serious health problems in New York City will gain access to the drug. Despite having publicly opposed medical cannabis as recently as last spring, Cuomo is preparing to bypass the legislature and set up a system “that would allow limited use […]

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Meet the Transgender Pop-Punk Musician Who Opened for Iggy Pop and U2

January 5, 2014 - Reading List

When we think about the glory days of rock ’n’ roll, we think of a sexist boys club that would only let in guys who abused groupies and hung out with other dudes. Despite this, in the 1980s, female-to-male transgender musician Lenny Zenith and his punk-pop band RZA opened for U2, Iggy Pop, and other legends in New Orleans. Although Lenny is pretty sure Iggy knew he was trans and simply didn’t give a shit, Lenny kept his gender idenity a secret, because it was extremly dangerous to be openly trans. These days, Lenny […]

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Rand Paul backs Snowden, bashes Clapper

January 5, 2014 - Reading List

Rand Paul is pictured. | AP Photo Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul on Sunday went to bat for NSA leaker Edward Snowden – and took a swing at Director of National Intelligence James Clapper. “I don’t think Edward Snowden deserves the death penalty or life in prison, I think that’s inappropriate, I think that’s why he fled, is that’s what he faced,” Paul, a possible 2016 contender for the Republican presidential nomination, said on ABC’s “This Week.” “Do I think it’s OK to leak secrets and give up national security [information] that endangers lives? I don’t think that’s OK, either. But […]

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