Yes, Americans Are Really Down on the Economy. But Why?

Inflation may not be the only answer.

#debatable, #federal-reserve-system, #inflation-economics, #oil-petroleum-and-gasoline, #powell-jerome-h, #recession-and-depression, #unemployment, #united-states-economy

Is Wall Street Really to Blame for the Affordable Housing Crisis?

Affordable housing has become harder and harder to find. Could corporate speculators be the culprit?

#affordable-housing, #debatable, #private-equity, #real-estate-and-housing-residential, #rent-control-and-stabilization, #renting-and-leasing-real-estate, #the-blackstone-group

If Putin Uses a Nuclear Weapon, How Should the World Respond?

U.S. officials say that the risk that the Russian president will break the 77-year-old nuclear taboo remains low. But he insists he’s not bluffing.

#debatable, #embargoes-and-sanctions, #nuclear-weapons, #putin-vladimir-v, #ukraine, #zelensky-volodymyr

Democrats Are Starting to Feel Hopeful About the Midterms. Should They?

Summer fears of an electoral wipeout have given way to cautious optimism as Democrats enjoy a changed political environment.

#abortion, #biden-joseph-r-jr, #debatable, #democratic-party, #inflation-economics, #midterm-elections-2022, #roe-v-wade-supreme-court-decision, #student-loans

U.S. Population Growth Has Nearly Flatlined. Is That So Bad?

Countries around the world are confronting the costs — and potential benefits — of an aging population.

#birth-rates, #china, #debatable, #global-warming, #population

Can America’s Schoolchildren Recover From the Pandemic?

Students are struggling, and not just on standardized tests.

#children-and-childhood, #coronavirus-reopenings, #debatable, #education-k-12, #tests-and-examinations

Could the Courts Block Biden’s Student Loan Relief Plan?

Just last year, President Biden himself cast doubt on whether he had the authority to cancel student loan debt on such a broad basis.

#alito-samuel-a-jr, #biden-joseph-r-jr, #debatable, #education-department-nyc, #student-loans, #supreme-court-us

Can the C.D.C. Save Itself?

After a damning internal review of its pandemic response, the agency will be reorganized.

#centers-for-disease-control-and-prevention, #coronavirus-2019-ncov, #debatable, #gottlieb-scott-1972, #monkeypox, #walensky-rochelle

After the Rushdie Attack, Can the Iran Nuclear Deal Be Saved?

Biden vowed to re-enter a deal that Trump had “recklessly tossed away.” But negotiations are still in limbo.

#biden-joseph-r-jr, #bolton-john-r, #debatable, #iran, #nuclear-energy, #nuclear-weapons, #trump-donald-j

Can Democrats Avoid a Midterm Wipeout?

The upcoming election season might be more competitive than predicted.

#abortion, #debatable, #hassan-margaret, #inflation-economics, #midterm-elections-2022, #oz-mehmet-c, #trump-donald-j, #walker-herschel

Where Does the Fight Over Abortion Rights Go After Roe?

The politics of abortion are only intensifying as states set about creating their own legal regimes.

#abortion, #abortion-drugs, #debatable, #roe-v-wade-supreme-court-decision

Is the Supreme Court Facing a Legitimacy Crisis?

Warnings of the court’s declining credibility are hardly new, but after Roe’s fall, they’ve intensified and moved well beyond the bench.

#abortion, #alito-samuel-a-jr, #bork-robert-h, #breyer-stephen-g, #debatable, #kagan-elena, #rehnquist-william-h, #roe-v-wade-supreme-court-decision, #same-sex-marriage-civil-unions-and-domestic-partnerships, #sotomayor-sonia, #supreme-court-us, #thomas-clarence

After the Jan. 6 Hearings, Will Trump Face Criminal Charges?

Some lawyers and Congress members see the hearings as a road map for the Department of Justice to prosecute Trump.

#cheney-liz, #debatable, #house-select-committee-to-investigate-the-january-6th-attack, #justice-department, #storming-of-the-us-capitol-jan-2021, #thompson-bennie-g, #trump-donald-j

After the Johnny Depp and Amber Heard Trial, Is #MeToo Dead?

Nearly five years later, some have concluded that the forces of backlash have won.

#metoo-movement, #debatable, #depp-johnny, #heard-amber, #sexual-harassment

The Covid Pandemic Still Isn’t Over. So What Now?

Reinfection may become the norm even for people who have received several vaccine doses.

#coronavirus-2019-ncov, #debatable, #inventions-and-patents, #long-covid, #moderna-inc, #paxlovid-drug, #pfizer-inc

If Roe Goes, Will the Right to Birth Control Be Next?

Democrats are warning that Roe’s fall could threaten a wide range of privacy rights — including the right to birth control.

#abortion, #alito-samuel-a-jr, #barrett-amy-coney, #birth-control-and-family-planning, #debatable, #in-vitro-fertilization, #obergefell-jim-1966, #roe-v-wade-supreme-court-decision, #same-sex-marriage-civil-unions-and-domestic-partnerships, #supreme-court-us

For Peace in Ukraine, Is the Only Way More War?

Western countries are flooding Ukraine with weapons. Can they help end the assault, or will they just make it bloodier?

#debatable, #defense-and-military-forces, #putin-vladimir-v, #russia, #russian-invasion-of-ukraine-2022, #ukraine, #united-states-defense-and-military-forces

Will Elon Musk Save Twitter or Destroy It?

Musk says he wants to transform Twitter into “the platform for free speech around the globe.” The reality could look very different.

#debatable, #freedom-of-speech-and-expression, #musk-elon, #twitter

Is Biden’s Immigration Reform Too Little Too Late?

How much of the blame does he deserve, and how much more can he do?

#asylum-right-of, #biden-joseph-r-jr, #debatable, #illegal-immigration, #immigration-and-emigration, #immigration-detention, #mexico, #united-states-politics-and-government

To Stop Inflation, Will We Need to Engineer a Recession?

Raising interest rates will pour cold water on an economy many believe is overheated — but at the risk of triggering a downturn.

#consumer-price-index, #debatable, #inflation-economics, #powell-jerome-h, #real-estate-and-housing-residential, #summers-lawrence-h, #unemployment

Will the Amazon Union Win Usher in a New Era of Labor Activism?

It’s the biggest victory for organized labor in a generation. Was it a fluke or the start of a new era of labor activism?

#amazon-labor-union, #amazon-com-inc, #debatable, #labor-and-jobs, #national-labor-relations-board, #organized-labor, #smalls-christian

Will the Ukraine War Spell the End of Globalization?

The seams of the global economic order were deeply frayed by the pandemic. Could this conflict cause it to unravel?

#debatable, #embargoes-and-sanctions, #international-trade-and-world-market, #protectionism-trade, #russian-invasion-of-ukraine-2022

How Will the Ukraine War End?

The Russian invasion has essentially stalled. Will it end in a peaceful resolution or something far more terrible?

#biden-joseph-r-jr, #debatable, #north-atlantic-treaty-organization, #nuclear-weapons, #putin-vladimir-v, #russian-invasion-of-ukraine-2022, #ukraine, #xi-jinping, #zelensky-volodymyr

The Ukraine War Could Stall Climate Action — or Galvanize It

European leaders are realizing they can no longer depend on Russian fossil fuels. But whether renewable energy fills the gap is an open question.

#debatable, #global-warming, #greenhouse-gas-emissions, #natural-gas, #nuclear-energy, #oil-petroleum-and-gasoline, #russian-invasion-of-ukraine-2022, #ukraine

Should We Really Be Culturally Canceling Russia?

Russian people, businesses and products with little or no relationship to the invasion have found themselves in the culture war’s crosshairs. 

#boycott-divestment-and-sanctions-bds, #cancel-culture, #debatable, #embargoes-and-sanctions, #levit-igor, #putin-vladimir-v, #russia, #russian-invasion-of-ukraine-2022, #ukraine

Putin Is Brandishing the Nuclear Option. How Serious Is the Threat?

The Russian president has ordered his nuclear forces into a higher state of alert — the first time the Kremlin has done so since 1991.

#debatable, #nuclear-tests, #nuclear-weapons, #putin-vladimir-v, #russia, #russian-invasion-of-ukraine-2022, #ukraine

What Would It Mean to End the Covid State of Emergency?

A new politics of pandemic resignation is setting in, but what it would look like to “get on with our lives,” and how to do so, remains unclear.

#coronavirus-2019-ncov, #coronavirus-omicron-variant, #coronavirus-risks-and-safety-concerns, #debatable, #masks

Is the Crypto Gold Rush a Giant Scam?

Web3 is a still-nascent, fuzzy idea, but if you squint, you can see its growing intrusion onto mainstream culture. How much of it is hype?

#bitcoin-currency, #blockchain-technology, #cryptography-codes-and-ciphers, #damon-matt, #debatable, #fallon-jimmy, #hilton-paris, #paltrow-gwyneth

In the ‘Genocide Olympics,’ Are We All Complicit?

China’s repression of Uighur Muslims looms large over the Games. What should participants — viewers included — do about it?

#boycotts, #china, #debatable, #human-rights-and-human-rights-violations, #international-olympic-committee, #olympic-games-2022, #war-crimes-genocide-and-crimes-against-humanity

What the Joe Rogan Backlash Reveals About How We Handle Misinformation

Are we relying too heavily on tech platforms to enforce the boundaries of socially acceptable speech?

#debatable, #rogan-joe, #science-and-technology, #silicon-valley-calif, #social-media, #spotify, #the-joe-rogan-experience-radio-program, #young-neil

Why Are So Many Americans Killing One Another?

Five ways of looking at the rise in murders — and how to bring them back down.

#crime-and-criminals, #debatable, #murders-attempted-murders-and-homicides, #police, #police-brutality-misconduct-and-shootings, #sharkey-patrick

Is Civil War Looming, or Should We Calm Down?

A large number of Americans believe it’s possible, even likely. Could they be right?

#civil-war-us-1861-65, #debatable, #moyn-samuel, #storming-of-the-us-capitol-jan-2021, #walter-barbara-f, #war-and-armed-conflicts

What Does Living With Omicron, and the Next Covid Variants, Truly Mean?

With Covid here to stay, some public health experts say we need to adapt to a “new normal.”

#coronavirus-2019-ncov, #coronavirus-delta-variant, #coronavirus-omicron-variant, #coronavirus-reopenings, #coronavirus-risks-and-safety-concerns, #debatable

Inflation Keeps Getting Worse. But Can the Fed Really Rein It In?

Higher interest rates could put a cap on rising costs, but it could also make the economy worse for workers.

#american-families-plan-2021, #biden-joseph-r-jr, #build-back-better, #debatable, #federal-reserve-system, #inflation-economics, #powell-jerome-h, #united-states-economy

After a School Shooting, Should Parents Be Prosecuted?

A Michigan prosecutor hopes the strategy can prevent more school shootings. But some on both sides of the gun control debate are wary.

#debatable, #mass-shootings, #michigan, #oxford-charter-township-mich-shooting-2021, #school-shootings-and-armed-attacks, #terrorism

With This Supreme Court, What’s Next for Abortion Rights?

Legal scholars, researchers and writers consider how the country could be transformed.

#abortion, #abortion-drugs, #debatable, #roe-v-wade-supreme-court-decision, #supreme-court-us, #womens-rights

Overdoses Surged During the Pandemic. How Do We Stop Them?

More than 100,000 Americans died of overdoses in a single year, exceeding the number of people who died from car crashes and guns combined.

#coronavirus-2019-ncov, #deaths-fatalities, #debatable, #drug-abuse-and-traffic, #fentanyl, #naloxone-drug, #new-york-city, #opioids-and-opiates, #oxycontin-drug, #united-states

How to Celebrate Pandemic Thanksgiving, Round 2

Thanksgiving is back, but Covid hasn’t gone away. Here’s how to have a safer, peaceful and tasty holiday.

#coronavirus-2019-ncov, #coronavirus-risks-and-safety-concerns, #debatable, #thanksgiving-day, #turkeys

Biden Says His Infrastructure Law Is a ‘Big Deal.’ How Big?

$550 billion for new spending is big, but many say America’s infrastructure needs are even bigger.

#airports, #biden-joseph-r-jr, #computers-and-the-internet, #debatable, #infrastructure-public-works, #infrastructure-investment-and-jobs-act-2021, #lead, #railroads, #water, #water-pollution

When Will the Covid Pandemic End?

This pandemic winter won’t be like the last one — but it won’t be “normal,” either.

#coronavirus-2019-ncov, #coronavirus-reopenings, #debatable, #epidemics, #vaccination-and-immunization

Worried About Inflation? Here Are Some Reasons for Optimism.

Americans feel good about their own financial situations, but their general outlook on the economy is anything but sunny.

#debatable, #economic-conditions-and-trends, #gross-domestic-product, #inflation-economics, #united-states-economy

Daylight Saving Time Is Ending. Why Not Forever?

Most Americans don’t like this disruptive ritual — but they’re split about which side of the clock-switching system they prefer.

#cancer, #daylight-saving-time, #debatable, #franklin-benjamin, #watches-and-clocks

3 Big Questions Looming Over the Glasgow Climate Talks

The biggest one: How many more degrees?

#biden-joseph-r-jr, #carbon-capture-and-sequestration, #carbon-dioxide, #china, #debatable, #glasgow-scotland, #global-warming, #greenhouse-gas-emissions, #india, #nuclear-energy

Is Our True-Crime Obsession Doing More Harm Than Good?

Stories about real-life murders are everywhere — and some think it’s rotting our brains.

#crime-and-criminals, #debatable, #serial-radio-program, #serial-murders, #stalking-crime

What’s Causing ‘Havana Syndrome,’ Really?

U.S. officials believe that Russian-wielded microwave weapons are to blame for the mysterious illness. There’s a simpler — and stranger — explanation.

#debatable, #espionage-and-intelligence-services, #havana-syndrome, #hysteria-medical, #microwaves-electromagnetic-waves, #russia

Will Covid Really Change the Way We Work?

The “Great Resignation” could be a sign of a major realignment in the labor market, or it could be just a temporary readjustment.

#debatable, #labor-and-jobs, #organized-labor, #savings, #strikes

Why Is Raising a Child in the United States So Hard?

Family welfare policies never took off in the United States as they did in the rest of the wealthy world. Some Democrats think the country is ready.

#child-care, #child-tax-credits-and-stipends, #day-care-centers, #debatable, #education-pre-school, #family-leaves, #paid-time-off, #welfare-us

Can Lab-Grown Burgers Help Stop Climate Change?

Lab-grown meat has been hailed as a solution to humanity’s unsustainable consumption of animal products, but some say the idea is a fantasy.

#agriculture-and-farming, #beef, #beyond-meat-inc, #debatable, #eat-just-inc, #global-warming, #impossible-foods-inc, #meat, #veganism, #vegetarianism

Does the Democratic Party Have a Future?

Democrats are staring down a decade of powerlessness, and some strategists think shutting up about racial injustice and immigration could save them.

#debatable, #democratic-party, #electoral-college, #polls-and-public-opinion, #senate, #shor-david-1991

The Debt Ceiling Crisis Doesn’t Have to Keep Happening

Congress appears to have averted economic disaster for now, but only by punting it to early December.

#biden-joseph-r-jr, #debatable, #mcconnell-mitch, #national-debt-us, #treasury-department, #yellen-janet-l