The Baines Report
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) is a lightning rod for news coverage. She was recently featured on “60 Minutes,” an opportunity that has eluded some of her more seasoned peers in the House. Ocasio-Cortez spoke on a range of topics during the interview, including inequality, climate change, and immigration. But one subject generated a truly surprising […]
If the midterm elections result in a so-called blue wave, Democrats could lead the push in securing funding for much-needed infrastructure investments. According to the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), America’s infrastructure has a near failing grade of D+. ASCE recommends an additional $2 trillion in investments over the next decade, from all levels […]
If, to paraphrase Justice Louis Brandeis, a little publicity is “the best of disinfectants,” then consider government auditors the cleaning people. These auditors help focus the public and their leaders’ attention on all aspects of government in order to root out waste, fraud, and abuse. By allowing the public and their elected leaders to scrutinize […]
According to the CDC, about one-third of American adults are obese, and obesity-related diseases are becoming a leading cause of death in the United States. Lack of exercise, increased portion sizes and a variety of other factors has led to increasing obesity rates in the United States. It has become one of the largest public […]
We’re all aware of the beating public education took this past legislative session. A total of $5.3 billion was cut, representing the first time Texas deliberately underfunded its schools. As a result, thousands of teachers lost their jobs and hundreds of innovative programs were ended. However, a less familiar, but equally unfortunate reality of […]
Two weeks ago, when President Obama announced his plan to ensure that millionaires pay at least the same tax rate as middle-income Americans, tax cut advocates came out in force. Some fiscal conservatives rumbled against the United States’ overly progressive taxation system, arguing that many countries, like Denmark, have flatter tax rates than the […]
“Americans are rapidly losing faith in the ability of Congress to deal with our country’s fiscal problems. Only action that is immediate, real and very substantial will prevent that doubt from morphing into hopelessness. That feeling can create its own reality.” This statement stood out to me as I read an op-ed written by […]