A history of the labor movement — and how to reinvent it in the new economy Sarah Carr Washington Post August 11, 2019 (Book review)
The missteps and misdeeds of Trump’s Cabinet Jacob S. Hacker Washington Post August 1, 2019 (Book review)
Opioids have an important role in relieving pain. Nonetheless, opioids can cause serious harm: addiction to them can ruin lives. Thus they are a “controlled substance” where safeguards are—or should be—in place so they may be used only for serious pain relief. When these safeguards are breached, harm can be done to many people. This harm, and the responsibility for it, is a current critical issue in the United States.
The Washington Post has recently published an excellent series of articles on the opioid crisis, several of which are cited below.
This is a good introduction to the issue covering the scale of the problem, lawsuits over the issue, and the Post’s efforts to make the DEA’s opioid distribution database available to the public.
76 billion opioid pills: Newly released federal data unmasks the epidemic Scott Higham, Sari Horwitz and Steven Rich Washington Post July 16, 2019
Drilling into the DEA’s pain pill database Washington Post July 21, 2019
“From 2006 to 2012 there were 38,269,630 prescription pain pills, enough for 203 pills per person per year, supplied to Mingo County, W.Va.”
Opioid death rates soared in communities where pain pills flowed Sari Horwitz, Steven Rich and Scott Higham Washington Post July 16, 2019
Drug company executives said they didn’t contribute to the opioid epidemic. Nearly 2,000 communities say otherwise. Robert O’Harrow Jr. and Scott Higham Washington Post July 20, 2019
Shows the Post’s opioid epidemic articles over the past three years.
Follow The Post’s investigation of the opioid epidemic Washington Post Staff July 19, 2019
Global peacefulness improves but the world is less peaceful than a decade ago.
The world is slightly more peaceful than a year ago Laren Favre U.S. News and World Report June 13, 2019
The U.S. drops to No. 128 out of 163 countries studied due to increased violence, political instability and a weakening view of its leadership.
Black people’s land was stolen Andrew W. Kahrl New York Times June 20, 2019
“Any discussion of reparations must include how this happened, who did it, and the laws, policies and practices that allowed it.”
Here’s what Ta-Nehisi Coates told Congress about reparations New York Times June 19, 2019
The writer argued that African-Americans were exploited by nearly every American institution, before and after slavery ended.
The exceptionally American historical amnesia behind Pompeo’s claim of ‘40 years of unprovoked Iranian aggression Brett Wilkins Common Dreams June 20, 2019
” From a CIA coup and supporting the Shah’s brutality to enabling chemical attacks, shooting down a civilian airliner and training terrorists, ‘aggression’ between the US and Iran is overwhelmingly one-sided.”
U.S. health care is very expensive, yet quality is not high. This is
due to various factors mentioned in the article including high prices
for services and drugs.
U.S. health care ranked worst in the developed worldMelissa HellmannTime June 17, 2018