Yesterday, across the country, members of the Electoral College cast their ballots at last, and confirmed Donald J. Trump as President-Elect. There is a lot of protest and dissension right now about the institution of the Electoral College. Many voters oppose it — who don’t actually understand what it is. The 2016 election marks the […]
Should September in New Jersey Be Devoted to Telling Families How to Help Suicidally Depressed Teens?
Is suicide something that happens only to a few marginalized families, or only to people whom ‘no one knows’? Hardly. It happens down the street, to our friends and neighbors. Shockingly, suicide is the third leading cause of death for New Jersey children and young people between the ages of 10 and 24, according to […]
Should We Tax Addictive Prescription Drugs — To Fund Addiction Treatment?
Americans are addicted to prescription drugs in huge numbers. As headlines in tabloids regularly confirm — as one pop star or musician after another confesses that he or she has a painkiller problem — Americans are especially likely to be addicted to opiate-based prescription drugs. According to a National Survey on Drug Use and Health, […]
LGBTQ Seniors: Equality at Last?
On March 3rd, 2016, Congressman Patrick Murphy (FL-D), proposed “Ruthie and Connie LGBT Elder Americans Act of 2015,” which will, if passed, amend the Older Americans Act of 1965, and will better ensure equal treatment of LGBT “older individuals.” The bill is named in honor of Ruthie Berman and Connor Kurtz who in 1988 sued the New York City […]
Moms-To-Be to Receive Medical Care from the Day they Know that they Are Expecting
Pregnancy can, of course, bring joy and anticipation to expectant mothers and their families. However, pregnancy also comes with enormous new financial responsibility; cost of proper maternity care is one. Some low-income pregnant women are eligible to receive affordable prenatal care through Medicaid; but many uninsured women are not. According to the American Pregnancy Association, […]
Turning Federally Protected Lands Over to Ranchers and Farmers?
On July 14, 2016, Representative Paul Gosar (AZ-R) proposed a bill that will, if passed, provide for the “dissemination and disposal of federal lands” in order to use them for grazing and water rights. The bill would make a major change in the Antiquities Act of 1906, which is an act that was passed by […]