Controversies

City Planners Prepare for Climate Change

Conservatives at the national level can debate about the merits of climate change, but local government officials are not waiting around for the possible impact on their communities. Having been told by scientists that their city’s weather m... read more

Brace Yourself for a Flattening Economy This Summer

Summer may mean warmer weather ahead, but not necessarily sunny days for the economy. Recent figures produced by the Department of Labor have shown an uptick in new jobs, which has heartened some economists and no doubt the White House. In M... read more

Utah First State to Legalize Gold and Silver Coins

Frustrated over the monetary policies of the Federal Reserve and the devaluing of the U.S. dollar, lawmakers in Utah have legalized the use of gold and silver as currency, making the state the first in the country to move in this direction. ... read more

Lawsuit Seeks Documents Related to Hillary Clinton and Pipeline Lobbyist

Environmentalists are suing the State Department to force the release of documents that might reveal communications between Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and an oil company lobbyist over a controversial pipeline project. Friends of the ... read more

CIA Director Panetta Says No Evidence Torture Led to Osama bin Laden’s Location

In support of Senator John McCain’s contention on the subject, CIA director Leon Panetta wrote a letter to the Republican lawmaker that undercuts claims by former Bush administration officials that torture was instrumental in tracking down Osama... read more

Tennessee Bill Would Forbid Schools Mentioning Homosexuality until 9th Grade

By a 20-10 vote, the Tennessee Senate has adopted legislation that forbids public school teachers and students in grades kindergarten through eighth grade from teaching about the existence of homosexuality, although talking about heterosexuality... read more

Comcast Accused of Violating NBC Merger Rules Regarding Local News

Comcast has not lived up to its pledge to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) after merging with NBC-Universal to air a minimum amount of local and Spanish-language news programs. Over the course of five years, the media monolith is ... read more

FBI and CIA Ordered to Release Documents in Mysterious Death of Kenney Trentadue

Sixteen years after the death of convicted felon Kenney Trentadue, the FBI and CIA have been ordered to turn over documents about the man whose family believes he was wrongfully murdered by the federal government after the Oklahoma City bombing.... read more

Navy Names Ship after Labor Leader César Chávez

The U.S. Navy has decided to name the last cargo ship of its kind after labor leader César Chávez. Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus announced the 14th Lewis and Clark-class cargo ship will carry the name of Chávez, who led the drive to unioni... read more

Emergency Room Visits on the Rise…as Emergency Rooms Disappear

Demand for emergency medical care increased by more than a third over the past two decades, while the number of available Emergency rooms declined. A new study published by the Journal of the American Medical Association states that urban an... read more

Homeland Security Accused of Hiding Details of Immigrant Fingerprinting Program

Civil libertarians and immigrant advocates are accusing the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) of withholding court-ordered information about its controversial Secure Communities program. Secure Communities is meant to search out violent ... read more

Indiana Supreme Court Rules Citizens May Not Resist Unlawful Entry by Police

Under no circumstance can residents of Indiana resist police entering their homes, even if there are no legal grounds for officers to do so, according to the state’s highest court. In a 3-2 ruling, the Indiana Supreme Court found “a right to... read more

AP, NPR and Conservative Group Ask for Death Photos of Osama bin Laden

Media organizations and conservatives are rejecting President Barack Obama’s decision to keep hidden the photos of Osama bin Laden’s death, having filed formal requests to see the images. The Associated Press and National Public Radio, as we... read more

FCC Commissioner Sets Revolving Door Record by Becoming Comcast Lobbyist

Four months after voting to approve a controversial billion-dollar merger between Comcast and NBCUniversal, Meredith Attwell Baker is leaving the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to become a lobbyist for…Comcast. Baker was one of four... read more

Obama Justice Dept. Tries to Block Unclassified Info from NSA Leaker Trial

Defense attorneys for Thomas Drake, a former National Security Agency employee facing trial for allegedly disclosing government secrets, are outraged by the Obama administration’s attempt to block unclassified information in federal court. D... read more