Category: Analysis
Yes, most workers can collect more in coronavirus unemployment than they earn – but that doesn’t mean Congress should cut the $600 supplement
The $600 federal jobless benefit expired on July 31. Joe Raedle/Getty Images by David Salkever, University of Maryland, Baltimore County Americans who lost their jobs because of the pandemic had been getting a US$600 bump on…
Climate crisis could kill as many people as all infectious diseases combined by 2100, warns study
“We are studying the risk of death faced by our own children.” by Eoin Higgins, staff writer Tuesday, August 4 A new study warns that the annual global death rate from the climate crisis could equal…
Oligarchy and Democracy from the Civil War to the present
Yes, the Civil War brought an end to the slave order of the South and the rule of the plantation oligarchs who embodied white supremacy. But the Northern victory was short lived — Southern ideals spread…
Amnesty International report details human rights violations by US police during racial justice protests
‘The World Is Watching’ The use of force detailed in the report “is ultimately a symptom of the very issue that started these protests: unaccountable police violence.” by Julia Conley, staff writer In a report titled…
What happened when a public institute became a de facto lobbying arm of the timber industry
Internal emails show a tax-funded agency created to educate people about forestry has acted as a public-relations agency and lobbying arm for Oregon’s timber industry, in some cases skirting legal constraints that forbid it from doing…
Test positivity rate: How this one figure explains that the US isn’t doing enough testing yet
by Ronald D. Fricker, Jr., Virginia Tech The U.S. has performed more coronavirus tests than any other country in the world. Yet, at the same time, the U.S. is notably underperforming in terms of suppressing COVID-19….
I was tear gassed in Portland — and not just by Feds
Police departments are over-militarized at the local level, too. Here’s one way to change that. By Robert P. Alvarez July 30, 2020 The smell of tear gas is hard to describe, but it’s horrifying. It pinched…
Analysis: US economy could create 25 million green jobs by 2035
“We can achieve a just transition to a better world out of the wreckage of this economic crisis… The only thing standing in the way is political will.” by Jessica Corbett, staff writer Wednesday, July 29…
Yale study on $600 unemployment lifeline championed by Democrats debunks favorite GOP talking point
The analysis comes as Senate Republicans are trying to cut the expanded benefits for workers who have lost jobs during the Covid-19 pandemic. by Jessica Corbett, staff writer Wednesday, July 29 A new study by Yale…
Oil and gas in flux: After a series of stunning defeats, what’s next for the industry?
Environmental, economic and political forces have converged, threatening to finally upend fossil fuel dominance. by Tara Lohan Wednesday, July 29 When Dominion Energy and Duke Energy unexpectedly cancelled plans to build the Atlantic Coast Pipeline on…
Patriot militia groups mobilize during a deadly pandemic and massive protests
‘That has a real chilling effect on democratic practice.’ Anna V. Smith, High Country News July 27, 2020 In the first weeks of June, as protests against police brutality spread across the country, a group of…
How to hide from a drone – the subtle art of ‘ghosting’ in the age of surveillance
When DHS redirects large, fixed-wing drones from the U.S.-Mexico border to monitor protests, and when towns experiment with using drones to test people for fevers, it’s time to think about how many eyes are in the…
COVID-19 has ravaged American newsrooms – here’s why that matters
Read all about it: Virus kills off dying industry. Brian Mitchell/Getty Images by Damian Radcliffe, University of Oregon Many newsrooms across the U.S. will be quieter places when journalists return to their workplace after the coronavirus…
How to understand COVID-19 numbers
Viewed in isolation or presented without context, coronavirus numbers don’t always give an accurate picture of how the pandemic is being handled. Here, ProPublica journalists Caroline Chen and Ash Ngu offer insight on how to navigate…
Analysis finds Fox News Covid-19 coverage featured misinformation 253 times in just five days
The network, said an MMFA researcher, “downplays the threat of the virus, dismisses the recommendations of public health officials, and misrepresents the scientific consensus on the disease.” by Jessica Corbett, staff writer Friday, July 17 Fox…
Study shows recipients spent more during pandemic bolstering case for extending unemployment relief
“Shocker: Working people spend money when they have it.” by Eoin Higgins, staff writer Thursday, July 16 A new study published Thursday reveals that the federal government’s unemployment boost of $600 a week for Americans who…
Research on voting by mail says it’s safe – from fraud and disease
by Edie Goldenberg, University of Michigan As millions of Americans prepare to vote in November – and in many cases, primaries and state and local elections through the summer as well – lots of people are…
With kids spending more waking hours on screens than ever, here’s what parents need to know
by James M. Lang, Assumption College Millions of working parents have spent months largely trapped in their homes with their children. Many are trying to get their jobs done remotely in the constant presence of their…
Voting misinformation flourishes on Facebook
“Outright Lies” While the social media giant says it opposes voter suppression, the data shows a stark picture: Nearly half of all top-performing posts that mentioned voting by mail were false or misleading. by Ryan McCarthy…
Different names, same address: How big businesses got government loans meant for small businesses
ProPublica found at least 15 large companies that received over half a billion dollars in PPP loans using the same technique: Getting multiple loans sent to smaller entities they own. by Paul Kiel and Jack Gillum…
Trump Financial Regulator Quietly Shelved Discrimination Probes Into Bank of America and Other Lenders
At least six investigations into discriminatory mortgage loan “redlining” have been halted or stalled — against staff recommendations — under the Trump administration’s Office of the Comptroller of the Currency. by Patrick Rucker, The Capitol Forum…
Domestic terror in the age of Trump
A new database of domestic terror incidents shows attacks by far-right extremists have become far more lethal since Donald Trump became president. By David Neiwert Thursday, July 9, 2020 This article was reported in partnership with…
How a Key Federal Civil Rights Agency Was Sidelined as Historic Protests Erupted
Launched by President Lyndon Johnson in 1964, the Community Relations Service has been without a director and short-staffed during recent unrest. The Trump administration has repeatedly tried to eliminate the agency. by A.C. Thompson and Robert…
How — and when — can the coronavirus vaccine become a reality?
It is likely we’ll eventually have a coronavirus vaccine — but perhaps not as quickly as some expect. From development, to clinical trials and distribution, ProPublica reporter Caroline Chen explains the tremendous challenges that lie ahead….
