“The public has consistently expressed strong interest in the health care debate, but relatively few Americans can correctly answer two key questions related to the Senate’s consideration of health care legislation. In the latest installment of the Pew Research Center’s News IQ Quiz, just 32% know that the Senate passed its version of the legislation without a single Republican vote. And, in what proved to be the most difficult question on the quiz, only about a quarter (26%) knows that it takes 60 votes to break a filibuster1 in the Senate and force a vote on a bill. The survey was conducted before Massachusetts Republican Scott Brown won a special election to the Senate on Jan. 19; Brown’s election means Senate Democrats can no longer count on a 60-vote majority once he takes office.”
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Daily Archives: January 28, 2010
49 Congressional Websites Hacked
Washington Post: “House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) asked for an immediate review of how hackers were able to overtake 49 Web sites operated by members of the House or House committees following President Obama’s State of the Union address. Officials anticipate the sites will be fully operational again in… Continue Reading
President Obama delivers on American High-Speed Rail
Follow up to previous postings on high speed rail, today’s announcement via the DOT blog: “The investments we announce today make rail a viable transportation alternative in many regions. With this historic $8 billion investment by President Obama, we are jump-starting American High-Speed rail. The bulk of today’s awards go to new, large-scale high-speed rail… Continue Reading
Fact Sheet: Safety of Thimerosal in Vaccines Against 2009 H1N1 Flu
“The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is aware that pregnant women, parents of young children, and others may have questions about the safety of thimerosal in vaccines against 2009 H1N1 flu. Here is some information to help you in making decisions.” Continue Reading
Report Card: Government Failing to Protect America from Grave Threats of WMD Proliferation and Terrorism
News release: “Former Senator Bob Graham (D-FL) and former Senator Jim Talent (R-MO), chair and vice chair of the bipartisan Commission on the Prevention of Weapons of Mass Destruction Proliferation and Terrorism, today released a report card indicating that the U.S. government is not taking the necessary steps to protect the country from the threats… Continue Reading
FAS: Russian Nuclear Forces 2010
Russian Nuclear Forces 2010: “The latest overview of Russias nuclear forces produced by Robert Norris from NRDC and Hans M. Kristensen is now available on the website of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists. We estimate that Russia currently (January 2010) deploys approximately 4,600 nuclear weapons, down from roughly 4,800 a year ago. The arsenal… Continue Reading
Conference Board: Productivity Rises in 2009, Despite the Recession
News release: “U.S. productivity weathered the recession well, growing 2.5 percent (in per hour terms) in 2009, The Conference Board reported..This blip in the prevailing downward trend in U.S. productivity was largely explained by dramatically reduced working hours that offset output decline (employment fell by 3.6 percent in 2009; hours worked per worker by 1.5… Continue Reading
DOT Announces Federal Ban on Texting for Commercial Truck Drivers
Follow up to previous postings on dangers of texting while driving, this news release: “U.S Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced federal guidance to expressly prohibit texting by drivers of commercial vehicles such as large trucks and buses. The prohibition is effective immediately and is the latest in a series of actions taken by the Department… Continue Reading
