The Most Substantive Political Debate in Recent History

Date: 7 Apr 2016 | posted in: From the Desk of David Morris, The Public Good | 0 Facebooktwitterredditmail

Win or lose, Bernie Sanders has made this Democratic primary the most substantive in my lifetime. Not that Hillary Clinton’s campaign is devoid of ideas. She has some thoughtful ones. But the boldness of Sanders’ proposals is what has driven this historic and instructive debate. The dynamic so far consists of Sanders setting a marker (e.g. … Read More

What Is the Best Medical System in the Country? The Answer May Surprise You.

The Veterans Administration (VA). Yes, a medical system 100% financed by the government and run by the government, provides higher quality care, at a lower cost, than private hospitals. That’s the conclusion of dozens of independent studies. But a multi-year, well-financed and highly effective campaign has persuaded Congress to ignore the data because, well, we all … Read More

Watch: Sustainable Communities and Local Self-Reliance

Date: 29 Mar 2016 | posted in: From the Desk of David Morris, The Public Good | 0 Facebooktwitterredditmail

On March 25th, 2010, David Morris delivered the keynote presentation to Wisconsin’s Sustainable Communities Public Policy Forum. He talks about local self-reliance as both a means and an end, a strategy and a goal. A clean environment and a health economy depend on communities extracting the maximum value from local human, capital and natural resources. And … Read More

Race and Democracy in Michigan

In 2013, 52% of all African-Americans living in Michigan had their voting rights taken away by  Emergency Managers, compared to only 2% of whites. In November 2014 a federal judge concluded that the Emergency Managers law had been applied in a racially discriminatory manner. That law allows the state to appoint a manager to unilaterally govern a … Read More

American Democracy Under Siege

Date: 8 Mar 2016 | posted in: From the Desk of David Morris, The Public Good | 0 Facebooktwitterredditmail

The founding fathers minced no words about their distrust of the masses. Our first President, John Adams warned, “Democracy will soon degenerate into an anarchy…” Our second President, Thomas Jefferson insisted, “Democracy is nothing more than mob rule.” Our third President, James Madison, the Father of the Constitution declared, “Democracy is the most vile form of … Read More

Happy Birthday National Endowment for the Humanities

On the 50th Anniversary of the founding of the National Endowment for the Humanities, Richard H. Brodhead argues the New Deal made possible the NEH and the National Endowment for the Arts.  For the first time Americans endorsed a federal role in promoting the general welfare and creating public goods. In the 1960s the Great Society … Read More

Berta Cáceres Died For Our Sins

On March 3rd Honduran Goldman Prize winner Berta Cáceres was assassinated because of the stunning victories she achieved with and on behalf of indigenous people.  And she did it against the greatest of odds. Beverly Bell of the Institute for Policy Studies gives us some details about this remarkable woman and the sad role our country … Read More

New Research Finds Water Privatization Raises Rates

Food & Water Watch has issued a thoroughly researched report on water privatization. A survey of more than 200 public and private water systems found that private suppliers charge significantly more than public systems. The 10 largest initiatives increased water rates  on average 15 percent a year after privatization. After local governments brought water systems back … Read More

Where Do The Presidential Candidates Stand On The Proposed Trade Pact?

In early February 12 nations, including the U.S. signed the highly controversial Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). This trade agreement would diminish U.S. sovereignty, undermine democracy and create a new world court where corporations can sue governments and corporate lawyers decide the cases. The TPP now goes to Congress for a vote. If you want to know about … Read More

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