Mar 28 Broadband Access: Exploring Internet Connectivity by U.S. Community Type The federal government wants you to have access to a broadband connection. Badly. The Federal Communications Commission has held dozens of workshops and filed away more than 23,000 comments on its National Broadband Plan. "High-speed wireless service is… Continue reading
Mar 14 Income Inequality Gap Widens Among U.S. Communities Over 30 Years View of Philadelphia from Glenwood Green Acres public garden; Creative Commons photo courtesy flickr.com/tonythemisfit In the debate about income inequality in America, many stories miss an important point: rising disparities are not just about investment bankers versus… Continue reading
Mar 04 Rural Counties Are Losing Population and Aging, But Are They Really ‘Dying?’ As the 2010 Census results start to roll out, America is beginning its decennial demographic "who are we" discussion. Are we older than 10 years ago? Are we more diverse? And where are we going -- literally -- when… Continue reading
Feb 25 With Public-Sector Unions in Spotlight, How Does Voting Public View Them? Firefighters at Feb. 19 rally in Madison, Wis.; Flickr Creative Commons photo courtesy CindyH Photography What started in Wisconsin as a budget fight about the wages and bargaining power of public-sector unions has grown into a national fight… Continue reading
Feb 22 Lack of Unity Dooms One Montana Tea Party, May Speak to Wider Problems Six weeks into the new Congress, the Tea Party caucus continues to be a vocal presence in Washington, calling for deeper program cuts to balance the federal budget including opposition to defense plans supported by the GOP… Continue reading
Feb 15 As Washington Eyes Budget Cuts, How Would Local Economies Be Affected? The annual arrival of the president's proposed federal budget is always more of a show than a real news event - a starting point for congressional additions and subtractions - but that is especially true this year with the new… Continue reading
Feb 11 Patchwork Nation: Foreclosures up in the ‘Monied Burbs’ Foreclosure sign in Haymarket, Va. (Flickr user taberandrew) Reading economic numbers is not easy in 2011. This indicator or that one may sound hopeful -- but there is always a caveat. So it is with the latest foreclosure numbers. Continue reading
Feb 10 Census Data Start to Show Katrina’s Long-Term Impact on New Orleans New Orleans as seen From space on Jan. 26; Creative Commons photo courtesy NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center Long before last year's Census, it was clear that New Orleans was a changed city. A drive past the vacant… Continue reading
Feb 02 As Recession Lingers in Evangelical Epicenters, How Will Voters React? Nixa, Mo.'s Main Street; Creative Commons photo courtesy Casey Spivey NIXA, Mo. | By most standard measures -- gross domestic product, consumer spending and the like -- the United States is in the midst of a… Continue reading
Jan 25 Gun Rights Legislation Under Consideration in Several States Gun legislation is back in the spotlight after the shooting in Tucson that wounded Rep. Gabrielle Giffords and killed six. Long before the rampage hit the headlines, several states had been moving to broaden gun rights, arguing… Continue reading