Military Bastions

Health care reform bill: changing minds could be tough

Before the healthcare bill finally passed Sunday night, the debate was subject to multiple twists – from public options to “death panels” to the Democrats’ loss of Ted Kennedy’s Senate seat.

But in Patchwork Nation communities during the past year, what has been most remarkable is the constancy of what ...

Payday loans: Where do they happen the most?

In a world of tight credit and joblessness, low- and middle-income people often find themselves in difficult financial straits. A unique and controversial type of business has emerged, primarily within the past 20 years, to respond to these situations: payday lenders. They make up a large part of what is ...

In a military town, some question Afghan war

When the president announces a new military strategy, everyone listens, but some places listen more closely. For the 57 counties that Patchwork Nation lists as “Military Bastions,” those announcements aren’t just about protests or foreign policy; they are about the local economy and the emotional well-being of friends and ...

Obama engages on healthcare with high approval, policy doubts

Less than eight months into Barack Obama’s presidency, it is far too soon to contemplate his chances at reelection. But at this early date, there seems to be one noticeable trait: dissonance between voters’ feelings about the president and feelings about his policies – or at least his party.

We ...