Another Assessment Finds U.S. Among Least Transparent of Foreign Aid Donors
Oct 26, 2010 by Gavin Baker
A new international study ranks the U.S. 25th out of 30 donors in the transparency of its foreign aid spending.
read in fullTrucks’ Fuel Efficiency to Improve under Administration Proposal
Oct 25, 2010 by Matthew Madia
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of Transportation (DOT) announced a joint proposed rule that will establish better fuel efficiency standards for heavy-duty vehicles.
read in fullTell the Government to Say Cheese
Oct 25, 2010 by Gavin Baker
Attempts to prevent citizens from recording the government have been rebuked in two recent cases.
read in fullNews Organization Bemoans Public's Lack of Knowledge on Issue It Rarely Mentioned
Oct 22, 2010 by Sam Rosen-Amy
"What if a president cut Americans' income taxes by $116 billion and nobody noticed?" That's the lede on a recent New York Times article, one talking about a tax cut called Making Work Pay (MWP). President Obama's staff was instrumental in crafting and passing the MWP, which was part of the Recovery Act. The tax cut is stealthy, in that its design spreads the benefits out in small amounts, in each paycheck, as opposed to a single, larger payout at tax time. It was so stealthy that, as the Times article notes, few people know that Obama signed into law a tax cut affecting 95 percent of taxpayers. In fact, the MWP was so stealthy the Times barely mentioned it until this week. So why is the Times surprised no one knows about the tax cut?
Lawsuit Targets Delayed Scientific Integrity Rules
Oct 22, 2010 by Gavin Baker
A good government group this week sued the White House for records relating to the administration's long-delayed scientific integrity rules.
read in fullCourt Strikes Down Drilling Safety Notice
Oct 22, 2010 by Matthew Madia
A federal court invalidated an Interior Department notice imposing greater safety requirements on offshore drilling operations, enacted in response to the BP oil spill. Judge Martin Feldman of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana ruled on Tuesday that the June notice to lessees violated administrative procedure.
read in fullHas the Estate Tax Become an Issue on the Campaign Trail?
Oct 19, 2010 by Gary Therkildsen*
According to a recent Wall Street Journal article (subscription), it has. Despite not hearing much about the estate tax in debates or town hall meetings this fall, it seems the American Family Business Institute, deemed an "advocacy group" in the Journal piece, is circulating a pledge among congressional candidates calling for elimination of the tax. This seems to be enough for the Rupert Murdoch-owned daily banking pamphlet to announce that the estate tax is a midterm election issue.
read in fullFDA Warns Egg Producer Linked to Salmonella Outbreak
Oct 19, 2010 by Matthew Madia
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has sent a warning letter to Wright County Egg, one of the facilities implicated in a recent salmonella outbreak that sickened more than 1,600 people and led to the recall of more than 500 million eggs.
read in fullInternational Comparison Ranks U.S. Well on Budget Transparency
Oct 19, 2010 by Gavin Baker
A new international comparison of budget transparency ranks the U.S. among the world's leaders, but highlights some areas for improvement.
read in fullFormer NIH Director Touts Benefits of Open Federal Science
Oct 18, 2010 by Gavin Baker
Former National Institutes of Health (NIH) director Harold Varmus touts the benefits of open science in a new video released for Open Access Week (Oct. 18-24, 2010).
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