Accurate, Focused Research on Law, Technology and Knowledge Discovery Since 2002

Daily Archives: December 18, 2008

Bush Administration's Plan to Assist Automakers

Follow up to previous postings on auto industry, today’s White House press release: “…the only way to avoid a collapse of the U.S. auto industry is for the executive branch to step in. The American people want the auto companies to succeed, and so do I. So today, I’m announcing that the federal government will grant loans to auto companies under conditions similar to those Congress considered last week…These loans will provide help in two ways. First, they will give automakers three months to put in place plans to restructure into viable companies — which we believe they are capable of doing. Second, if restructuring cannot be accomplished outside of bankruptcy, the loans will provide time for companies to make the legal and financial preparations necessary for an orderly Chapter 11 process that offers a better prospect of long-term success — and gives consumers confidence that they can continue to buy American cars.”

Treasury Releases Term Sheet for Automotive Plan: Washington – The U.S. Treasury Department today released the term sheet and appendices for the Administration’s plan for stabilizing the automotive industry.

Report: Building an Americanization Movement for the Twenty-first Century

Building an Americanization Movement for the Twenty-first Century – A Report to the President of the United States from the Task Force on New Americans, December 2008 “This report is the culmination of more than two years of research into immigrant integration efforts across all sectors of society in the United States. The report provides… Continue Reading

FTC Issues Report on Social Security Numbers and Identity Theft

News release: “The Federal Trade Commission issued a report today recommending five measures to help prevent Social Security numbers from being used for identity theft. Principal among the report’s recommendations is that Congress consider taking action to strengthen the procedures that private-sector organizations use to authenticate their customers’ identities…The FTC report states that adopting nationwide… Continue Reading

Papers Explore News and Information as Digital Media Come of Age

“The transformation of the media world is well underway, facilitated by the spread of digital tools. A myriad of innovative new media organizations have sprung up to take advantage of the opportunities that stem from low-cost distribution networks. Meanwhile the economic base of many of the large media companies continues to erode. Despite the demonstrated… Continue Reading

CBO Budget Options, Volume 1: Health Care, December 2008

Budget Options, Volume 1: Health Care, December 2008 – “This volume—which expands on one of the Congressional Budget Office’s (CBO’s) regular reports to the House and Senate Committees on the Budget—presents 115 options for reducing (or, in some cases, increasing) federal spending on health care, altering federal health care programs, and making substantive changes to… Continue Reading

Key Issues in Analyzing Major Health Insurance Proposals

CBO: Key Issues in Analyzing Major Health Insurance Proposals, December 2008 – “This report describes some of the key assumptions that the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) would use in estimating the effects of key elements of such proposals on federal costs, insurance coverage, and other outcomes; the evidence on which those assumptions are based; and—if… Continue Reading

William J. Clinton Foundation Publishes Names of All Contributors on Foundation Website

Press Release: William J. Clinton Foundation Publishes Names of All Contributors on Foundation Website New York Times, Clinton Foundation Donors: Search – “Former President Bill Clinton released a list of thousands of donors to his charity, the William J. Clinton Foundation. The list is partial and will be updated as new data becomes available. Related… Continue Reading

Wireless Substitution: Early Release of Estimates From the National Health Interview Survey, January-June 2008

National Health Interview Survey Early Release Report: “Preliminary results from the January-June 2008 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) indicate that the number of American homes with only wireless telephones continues to grow. More than one out of every six American homes (17.5%) had only wireless telephones during the first half of 2008, an increase of… Continue Reading