There's broad agreement among economists that a new tax system should have few loopholes and relatively low tax rates. But that's where the consensus ends. Rewriting the tax code in Washington is tricky, and as one tax expert put it, right now there is no politically feasible fix.
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Has media coverage of the planned burning of Qurans by the Rev. Terry Jones and his tiny Florida congregation given this provocative event too big a stage? Or has the coverage been reasonably proportioned in view of the larger controversy over a proposed Islamic center in New York City? Melissa Block talks with NPR's David Folkenflik about coverage of the event.
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If you haven't heard of House Minority Leader John Boehner before, President Barack Obama is trying to change that. The Ohio Republican could take over the speakership if the GOP succeeds in winning a majority of House seats this November. Between now and then, Democrats will paint a scary picture of Boehner.
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The Purple Heart is the most powerful symbol that a soldier has sacrificed for his or her country. For generations, the military has awarded Purple Hearts to soldiers wounded in action. But an investigation by NPR and ProPublica has found that Army commanders routinely deny Purple Hearts to soldiers who've suffered concussions from explosions -- even though Army regulations say they merit the award. Four soldiers have struggled to get Purple Hearts -- and medical help.
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Melissa Block talks with Scott Vreeland, a Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board commissioner, about the removal of debris from the I-35 bridge from city parkland. Thirteen people were killed and one hundred forty-five were injured when the bridge over the Mississippi River collapsed in 2007. Vreeland hopes that with the removal of the wreckage, the park can open to the public again.
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On Monday, the ousted chief executive of Hewlett-Packard was named co-president of rival Oracle. Mark Hurd, who helped revive a struggling HP, was forced out earlier this year after a scandal involving expense reports and a female contractor. On Tuesday, HP sued to prevent Hurd's move to Oracle, arguing he could reveal trade secrets. Melissa Block talks with Wall Street Journal reporter Ben Worthen about the case.
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Melissa Block speaks with Blaine Leonard, president of the American Society of Civil Engineers, about the state of our nation's infrastructure. The ASCE issues infrastructure report cards. In its most recent -- in 2009 -- it gave the nation's infrastructure a D.
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Two bits of relatively good economic news came out Thursday: The nation's trade deficit declined in July, and the number of people applying for unemployment benefits also fell. But analysts warn against reading too much into either number. The trade deficit bounces around a lot, and unemployment claims remain high.
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New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg made improving the city's public schools one of the guiding themes of his administration. He overhauled the management structure and invested more money in education. Soon he was boasting of impressive gains on state exams. But that progress appeared to vanish this year when the state raised its standards and made the tests much harder. Now many wonder if Bloomberg's gains were real.
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The United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia has temporarily lifted the temporary injunction on federal funding for stem cell research. Melissa Block talks with NPR's Julie Rovner about what the decision means and the next steps in the battle over stem cells.
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