The White House has made some good moves toward increasing government transparency, but there’s still a lot more to be done. Recent reports by
Author: Gloria Shur Bilchik
Gloria Shur Bilchik is a freelance writer and community volunteer in St. Louis, Missouri. She is the editor of Occasional Planet. She views the preservation of democratic values and progressive programs as vital to making the US a humane, livable place for her children and grandchildren.
No more rain, please, while Republicans stall flood insurance
Homeowners insured under the National Flood Insurance Program [NFIP] could soon find themselves up the proverbial creek—literally—because Senate Republicans have allowed the federal flood
Census website maps out rates of return, city by city
The U.S. Census Bureau really, really, really wants everyone to fill out their 2010 Census forms–a process that takes about 10 minutes. So, they’ve
Wacky, hidden provisions of healthcare reform act
At 2,300 pages, including a lot of fine print, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act recently enacted into law contains some obscure provisions
311. St. Louis still not on the map.
If you see a rabid raccoon, a leaking fire hydrant or a stray chicken in front of your house, and you live in the
A solution for hyper-partisanship
Intransigent, political polarization has become the ugly, non-productive norm in American politics. For an example, look no further than the virulent, partisan fight over
Virtual Supermarket helps “food-desert” neighborhoods
Food desert neighborhoods are a real problem in America. Here’s a solution and another item for the good government file, from The Baltimore Sun:
School reform vs. school choice
A former champion of No Child Left Behind has written a book criticizing the policy as a failure, especially because it relies on standardized
My download speed is 5129 kbps. What’s yours?
Your blood pressure is normal, and your cholesterol levels are okay, too, but have you checked your internet download speed lately? A new service
Got potholes? There’s an app for that.
Here’s an innovative program that promotes citizen engagement and government responsiveness: In Arvada, CO, citizens can use a new, free iPhone application to report