How economic policies in the ’80s and ’90s destabilized American democracy today.
“We just don’t have the luxury to be despondent.”
A three-part series of interviews about the influence of neoliberalism on our politics and economics.
In most of the country the weather is finally getting warmer and the imagery of baby chickens and pastel eggs surround us – but yellow fuzzy chicks aren’t just a symbol for spring and Easter. They’re also part of the $38 billion poultry industry and a controversial proposal by the USDA to privatize poultry inspection.
In 2012, the USDA announced a proposal to expand a pilot program known as “HACCP-based Inspection Models Project” (or HIMP for short) that allows the poultry industry to reject government inspectors and allow company employees to police themselves. That’s right: The fox is literally guarding the hen house.
Obviously this is a big deal, so we created an infographic you can share about the 7 things you should know about the USDA’s plan to privatize poultry inspection. When you click on the image you will learn more about what you can do to speak out about this urgent issue.
This week marks the first anniversary of Hurricane Sandy, which one year ago tore a path of destruction through much of New York and New Jersey. While media coverage will no doubt focus on the images of nature wreaking havoc on the Eastern Seaboard, we would do well to look at the very human failings that contributed to the damage and suffering inflicted by Sandy.
A good place to start is the practices of companies like ConEdison, the utility giant responsible for electrical and gas service for much of the region. Like other utilities across the country, ConEdison has made significant cuts to its staff over the past several years, while using outside contractors to fill the gaps. In normal times, these cuts lead to unnecessary service delays and interruptions that inconvenience consumers. In a time of crisis, however, understaffing has much more serious consequences.
The overall impact of Sandy was staggering.
» Read more about: Hurricane Sandy: The Price of Deregulation »