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May 7, 2012
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May 5, 2012. As we waited to board United flight 366 from Washington, D.C., to Chicago, we noticed the young man in a wheelchair. He had lost both of his legs above the knee, but looked strong. I was glad to see that the young woman with him looked attentive and affectionate. That might have been the end of this chance encounter, but the flight attendants went above and beyond their job descriptions and learned more. They told us that Marine Corps Lance Corporal Adam Devine lost his legs December 28 when an improvised explosive device (IED) exploded while
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Hidden until February 8, 2012
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February 8, 2012
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I grimaced when the federal government decided to continue the payroll tax holiday for at least two more months in 2012. Sure, people can use the cash and it is an efficient way to stimulate consumer spending. But it worries me that nothing is being done to address the long-term financial health of Social Security and Medicare. The federal government could learn a great deal by looking at what has – and has not – worked to ensure sound funding of state and local pensions. The best-funded state and local pension plans rarely, if ever, take a
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July 18, 2011
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Where’s the easy button to address state and local fiscal problems? In fact, some 580,000 state and local employees have been laid off since the recession began and workload pressures have grown on those who remain. Some employees have gone without a pay raise for as many as three years. Wait -- there’s more! State and local revenues still have not returned to 2008 levels, while governments watch their health care costs continue to rise faster than inflation. Likewise, the demand for social services remains high due to high levels of unemployment. Are public employees making appropriate sacrifices?
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February 8, 2011
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Fear mongering about bankruptcy and defaults is costly and hurts the economic recovery.
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December 7, 2010
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We have entered a transformative era, former Senator Chuck Hagel and numerous local officials told this month’s National League of Cities conference in Denver. Senator Hagel described the three earlier eras as: (1) the post-World War II era with its new world order and new economy; (2) 1989-2001, when Eastern Europe joined NATO and the tech boom ignited; and (3) the post-9/11 era, with massive effects on travel, the economy, telecommunications, and security. The current transformative era will define a new world order and will affect all towns, regardless of location. Some nations will adapt more quickly
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November 18, 2010
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Every day I walk past homeless people who position themselves near Metro stops. Sometimes I buy Street Sense , a newspaper written and sold by homeless individuals. But I seldom think about the systemic problems that are behind who is on the street and what they may need to get their lives on track. After attending a conference today, “Exploring Health Reform and Criminal Justice,” organized by Community Oriented Correctional Health Services, I was reminded of the reality of some our most vulnerable populations, people with mental health disorders and addictions. Speakers talked about jails as
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