The Senate’s Gang of Eight have put together an 844-page monstrosity known as the Border Security, Economic Opportunity and Immigration Modernization Act, legislation of which President Obama says he “basically approves.” The crafters of this essentially unreadable bill was put together by senators Dick Durbin, D-Ill.; Robert Menendez, D-N.J.; Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y.; Michael Bennett, D-Colo.; Marco Rubio, R- ...

Last week, 400,000 poor and underserved Louisianans, many of them people of color, were shut out of potentially life-saving health insurance under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). A Louisiana House health committee voted down a measure that would have forced Governor Bobby Jindal to opt into the Medicaid expansion provision of ACA that is being subsidized by the federal government to cover vulnerable communit ...

When the sequester federal spending cuts forced flight delays because of the furlough of air traffic controllers, the normally deadlocked Congress acted in less than a week to give the Federal Aviation Administration flexibility to avoid the furloughs. The aggravations of business travelers are heard in Washington. But Congress can’t seem to hear the tribulations of the less fortunate: - Chicago hospitals a ...

I learned about economics and politics the hard way. In 1983, at 26 years old, I had the opportunity to travel to London and meet with a gentleman who had set up a deal to place a RC Cola factory in Sierra Leone, West Africa. He had done everything in his power to make this happen and had most of what he needed to close the deal. However, two key pieces were missing: the blessing of then President Siake Ste ...

Last week, the Detroit Democratic Caucus announced its united opposition to HB 4612, an insurance industry-backed measure forwarded by Gov. Rick Snyder, which eliminates the life-saving health care coverage currently provided under Michigan’s auto no-fault law, without addressing the unaffordable premiums motorists in the state’s urban areas are forced to pay. ...

Reflecting upon the past 50 years since the 1963 March on Washington, we must pay homage to our civil rights leaders for their hard work, strength and endurance in the fight for equality and justice in America. Their unwavering commitment to The Movement made it possible for a Black man named Barack Obama to become President of the United States. ...

Although the dictionary calls it archaic, the “management of a household” is one of the definitions listed for the word “economy.” Another definition is “a saving or attempt to reduce expenditures.” Yet another has to do with “the production and consumption of goods and services of a community regarded as a whole.” As I look at the descriptions, only the last one partially applies to Black Americans collect ...

African American students achieve at a different level than white students. Test scores are lower, as are high school and college completion rates, and the number of African Americans attending four-year institutions is falling. The rate of African American suspensions and expulsions from K-12 schools is higher than that of other groups. By almost any metric, there are gaps between African American students ...

Actions speak louder than words, and we show what we value by how we invest our resources. The actions of our legislature and governor demonstrate a willingness to sacrifice the education of our youngest citizens and dramatically weaken the viability of K-12 public education. ...

The path to a career in the early 21st century is anything but a straight line. The very idea that you will just have one career is becoming increasingly antiquated. We have to be creative in our plans for economic sustainability. This means building upon success, and even as you go for your dreams, having a practical means to meet the demands of your economic reality. ...