Under its own new guidelines, the FBI will be able to search commercial and law enforcement databases for any individual or organization they want, without having to make a record of it. Previously, an assessment of need was required. In addition, they'll be able to take lie-detector tests and search the garbage of someone without previously having established a factual basis for suspected wrongdoing. In other words, they'll theoretically have free rein to investigate anyone, for any reason, without having to justify it. Privacy advocates are concerned. More changes to the rules here:
http://www.theatlanticwire.com/national/2011/06/new-powers-fbi-just-granted-itself/38763
"If we had a health care system like those in most developed countries, we could, in effect, give every American an increase in their disposable income of 8 percent of G.D.P. – about what they pay in federal income taxes – and have health care no worse than they have in Britain or Japan. It would be like abolishing the federal income tax in terms of allowing people to spend more of their income on something other than health care."
http://www.economix.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/06/07/health-care-costs-and-the-tax-burden
What effect will climate change and sea level rise have on the Delaware river and its marshes?
http://www.newshour.tumblr.com/post/6395478735/what-will-sea-level-rise-do-to-marshes
"During 2000–06, a bill less favorable to the financial industry was three times less likely to become law than one promoting deregulation.... Importantly, two key pieces of legislation that promoted lax lending in mortgage markets—the American Homeownership and Economic Opportunity Act of 2000 and the American Dream Downpayment Act of 2003—were signed into law during the period." More important than how much money lobbyists spent on legislators was whether a lobbyist had previously worked for the legislator! The revolving door between legislative offices and K street may have had a direct effect on the financial crash.
http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/fandd/2011/06/Igan.htm
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