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NPR’s consistently excellent Planet Money podcast had a story this week, titled “The Town That Loves Death,” about La Crosse, Wisconsin. In La Crosse, 96% of people have living wills, which described a person’s desired level ...

The Town That Adopted “Death Panels”

NPR’s consistently excellent Planet Money podcast had a story this week, titled “The Town That Loves Death,” about La Crosse, Wisconsin. In La Crosse, 96% of people have living wills, which described a person’s desired level ...

The Sochi Games have closed, and I am sure many citizens of Russia are wondering: was it worth it? The Olympics are expensive and disruptive to the host country. However, they are exceedingly popular with voters and bring a great sense of pride. They...

Was Sochi Worth the Trouble?

The Sochi Games have closed, and I am sure many citizens of Russia are wondering: was it worth it? The Olympics are expensive and disruptive to the host country. However, they are exceedingly popular with voters and bring a great sense of pride. They...

A recent episode of WBUR radio’s On Point with Tom Ashbrook discussed a major new policy debate: can big food be sued in the way big tobacco was? On the surface, many would say no, but others disagree. Ashbrook hosted guests on both sides of the d...

Thank You For Snacking

A recent episode of WBUR radio’s On Point with Tom Ashbrook discussed a major new policy debate: can big food be sued in the way big tobacco was? On the surface, many would say no, but others disagree. Ashbrook hosted guests on both sides of the d...

Recently, a bipartisan group of 17 governors signed a letter to Congress asking that highway funding be restored.  You may not have heard, but the federal Highway Trust Fund is expected to run out in 2014.  This may not cause you any alarm as you...

Countdown on the Federal Highway Trust Fund

Recently, a bipartisan group of 17 governors signed a letter to Congress asking that highway funding be restored.  You may not have heard, but the federal Highway Trust Fund is expected to run out in 2014.  This may not cause you any alarm as you...

Over the winter break, your intrepid reporter went on a field trip to Spartanburg, SC.  Spartanburg represents many of the factors I am fascinated by: a small southern town experiencing a renaissance as the pillars of the old economy: textiles and t...

Downtown Development Case Study: Spartanburg, SC

Over the winter break, your intrepid reporter went on a field trip to Spartanburg, SC.  Spartanburg represents many of the factors I am fascinated by: a small southern town experiencing a renaissance as the pillars of the old economy: textiles and t...

By Michael Tamayo “It will arise from the ashes.” It seems fitting that Detroit’s city motto involves rebirth from ruin. Detroit’s long-chronicled decline finally culminated in July 2013, when it became the largest American city in history to...

How to Save the City

By Michael Tamayo “It will arise from the ashes.” It seems fitting that Detroit’s city motto involves rebirth from ruin. Detroit’s long-chronicled decline finally culminated in July 2013, when it became the largest American city in history to...

In 1890, the United States Census Bureau announced the end of the Western frontier. Yet the frontier spirit has surfaced intermittently in America’s cultural history well beyond this concrete date. Today, amid the United States’ hard economic fal...

Fracking, Stripping, Speaking: The Politics of Sex Work

In 1890, the United States Census Bureau announced the end of the Western frontier. Yet the frontier spirit has surfaced intermittently in America’s cultural history well beyond this concrete date. Today, amid the United States’ hard economic fal...

It seems that almost everyone is disappointed with October’s government shutdown. Tea Party sympathizers are unhappy that their strategy didn’t work, establishment Republicans are upset they tried that strategy at all, and Democrats and moder...

Legislating on the Brink

It seems that almost everyone is disappointed with October’s government shutdown. Tea Party sympathizers are unhappy that their strategy didn’t work, establishment Republicans are upset they tried that strategy at all, and Democrats and moder...

It’s hard to get a straight answer on the Affordable Care Act. Conversation on every component of the law is hugely partisan; Democrats say it will reform the flawed American health insurance industry and provide long overdue universal health care...

How Affordable is the ACA?

It’s hard to get a straight answer on the Affordable Care Act. Conversation on every component of the law is hugely partisan; Democrats say it will reform the flawed American health insurance industry and provide long overdue universal health care...

Local currency movements have become a trend in local economic development initiatives.  These are currencies issued by a local entity for spending at local businesses. Community Currencies, such as Ithaca HOURS, Bay Bucks of Traverse City, Michigan...

Local Currency Movements

Local currency movements have become a trend in local economic development initiatives.  These are currencies issued by a local entity for spending at local businesses. Community Currencies, such as Ithaca HOURS, Bay Bucks of Traverse City, Michigan...