5 Things To Know About President Obama's Budget

President Obama unveils his 2017 budget proposal today. It's an aspirational blueprint that details how he would set priorities if he controlled the government's checkbook ... which he doesn't. "This budget is not about looking back at the road we have traveled," Obama said. "It is about looking forward." But congressional Republicans are looking past the president. House Speaker Paul Ryan dismissed the budget as "a progressive manual for growing the federal government at the expense of hardworking Americans." Here are five big things you need to know about Obama's eighth budget blueprint.
http://www.npr.org/2016/02/09/466143593/five-things-to-know-about-president-obamas-budget?sc=tw

Why Thousands Are Demonstrating at US Schools

Rallies are expected at about 900 schools today...
http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2016/02/thousands-students-parents-teachers-rallies-urban-districts-demand-funding

Lead Levels in Water Misrepresented Across U.S.

Utilities Manipulate or Withhold Test Results to Ward Off Regulators...
Note: This article is almost 12 years old.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A7094-2004Oct4.html

Leaked Documents Undermine Official Story Of Flint Water Crisis | ThinkProgress

...But an email obtained by the Bill Johnson group and first reported by Motor City Muckraker suggests that the move might not have been necessary to reduce Flint’s water costs. Then-Detroit Water and Sewerage Department Director Sue McCormick proposed to continue providing water to Flint at a savings of $800 million over 30 years, or 20 percent less than the switch. In other words, Flint could have kept the Detroit water and still saved more money than it did. A spokeswoman for McCormick confirmed the email and reporting to ThinkProgress on Monday...
http://thinkprogress.org/health/2016/01/25/3742625/documents-michigan-contradict-flint-narrative-snyder/

Government Spending

http://www.alternet.org/files/sorensen_on_gvmt_spending.png

Alabama Governor Uses BP Spill Money To Fix Up A Second Mansion For Himself | ThinkProgress

While Alabama’s oyster industry and coastal communities continue to suffer from the effects of the massive Deepwater Horizon oil well blowout, the repairs to the governors’ mansion are estimated to cost between $1.5 million and $1.8 million...
http://thinkprogress.org/politics/2015/12/27/3735129/alabama-mansion-bp/

Former commissioners tell Congress, ‘The IRS is stretched to the breaking point,’ so stop slashing its budget - The Washington Post

“Over the last 50 years none of us has ever witnessed anything like what has happened to the IRS appropriations over the last five years and the impact these reductions are having on our tax system,” wrote the former commissioners, who served in the Kennedy, Johnson, Reagan, Bush, Clinton and Bush administrations. “It is clear to each of us that the [reductions] over the last five years materially and adversely affect the ability of the IRS to assist taxpayers who are trying to comply with their tax obligations, as well as the ability of of the IRS to detect and deter taxpayers who have not complied with their tax obligations.”
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/federal-eye/wp/2015/11/13/former-commissioners-tell-congress-the-irs-is-stretched-to-the-breaking-point-so-stop-slashing-its-budget/

How Flint, Michigan, Saved Money and Poisoned Its Children: City Declares Water Emergency

The mayor of Flint, Michigan, has declared a state of emergency to address lead poisoning in the city’s water supply. Last year, the city’s unelected emergency manager switched the city’s water source from the Detroit system to the long-polluted Flint River in an attempt to save money. A study released in September found the proportion of children under five in Flint with elevated lead levels in their blood nearly doubled following the switch. Flint residents filed a federal lawsuit accusing the city and state of endangering their health by exposing them to dangerous lead levels in their tap water. Michigan has the most sweeping emergency management laws in the country, which allow the governor to appoint a single person to run financially troubled cities. We speak to investigative reporter Curt Guyette of the ACLU of Michigan and Flint resident Melissa Mays. She and her three children have been diagnosed with lead and copper poisoning. She is the founder of Water You Fighting For?, a Flint, Michigan-based research and advocacy organization founded around the city’s water crisis.
Interview:
https://youtu.be/hmjQqIIOpM4

Public school funding has declined in most states since 2008, report says

Great Recession has had long-term effect on school funding, putting education quality at risk, new study funds...
http://america.aljazeera.com/articles/2015/12/10/report-school-funding-cuts-still-affected-by-great-recession.html

Bush's tax plan would add $6.8 trillion to the national debt

The tax plan proposed by Jeb Bush would add trillions to the national debt due to tax cuts. The wealthiest families would see incomes increase by over 10 percent, while middle income families would see less than a three percent increase...
http://www.csmonitor.com/Business/Tax-VOX/2015/1208/Bush-s-tax-plan-would-add-6.8-trillion-to-the-national-debt

Jon Stewart Shames Mitch McConnell For Holding Up Money For First Responders

Jon Stewart spent more time on Capitol Hill this week, doing something that should not need to be done: lobbying congress to do the right thing for 9-11 first responders.
http://crooksandliars.com/2015/12/jon-stewart-shames-mitch-mcconnell-holding

Michigan GOPer Blames School Problems On Black Children | Crooks and Liars

Michigan state Senator Marty Knollenberg decided he'd be a wise guy and blame failing school districts on African-American kids during a debate.
http://crooksandliars.com/2015/12/michigan-goper-blames-school-problems

Utah Congressman Vows To Kill America’s Top Parks Program

Barely 24 hours after Pope Francis appealed to U.S. lawmakers to help protect “our common home,” Rep. Rob Bishop (R-UT) announced that he intends this week to kill the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), which is known as America’s best parks program. The move — which is expected to succeed — places dozens of U.S. national parks at heightened risk of commercial development, including Grand Teton National Park and Gettysburg National Military Park...
http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2015/09/29/3706756/rob-bishop-lwcf-reauthorization/

Democrats Accuse Mitch McConnell Of Holding Up Funding For 9/11 First Responders

It's "just plain wrong to play politics with the healthcare of these 9/11 heroes," Chuck Schumer said...
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/mitch-mcconnell-911-first-responders_565e0601e4b08e945fecfc61

Why Congress, at last, is acting on roads, schools - CSMonitor.com

Both houses overwhelmingly passed the first long-term highway bill in a decade. Next week, a long-disputed education bill is expected to clear Congress, as well.
http://m.csmonitor.com/USA/Politics/2015/1204/Why-Congress-at-last-is-acting-on-roads-schools

The Dumbest Way to Fund America's Infrastructure

As Mark Twain observed, “Suppose you were an idiot, and suppose you were a member of Congress; but I repeat myself …”
http://www.bloombergview.com/articles/2015-12-02/the-dumbest-way-to-fund-america-s-infrastructure

Is Michigan on the road to ruin?

Not-so-hidden agenda...
http://www.freep.com/story/opinion/editorials/2015/11/07/road-plan-shortcomings/75209152/

Here’s How Much The World’s Biggest Economies Spend On Fossil Fuel Subsidies

Despite pledging to end fossil fuel subsidies in 2009, the world's major economies still spend billions each year on fossil ... Read more

This map should change the way you think about foreign aid - Vox

...As you can see, the biggest recipient by a long way is Israel (this is fiscal year 2014 data, but nothing's changing), and two other big ones are Egypt and Jordan, which both have aid packages that are tied up with their peace treaties with Israel. None of these are poor countries (indeed, Israel is downright rich), and the point of the money is to advance an American foreign policy agenda — not to help the poor... http://www.vox.com/2015/11/8/9684494/foreign-aid-map

The Economics Of Election 2016: GOP Debate

The economy was the advertised issue of the night. The contenders fought for time and appeal. The moderators took some heavy grief. Debate number three for the Republicans last night saw a good night for Marco Rubio, a tough night for Jeb Bush. Trump and Carson hanging in. Ted Cruz lashing out. Ohio governor John Kasich railing against “fantasy” from his competition on the debate stage. The big GOP message remained “cut government.” How, and where, and what to do on taxes and how to share the pie – all on the table. This hour On Point, the Republicans, back in debate.
Interview:
https://onpoint.wbur.org/2015/10/29/election-2016-gop-debate-republicans-economy