July 29, 2011
Idea of the Day: FERC's New Rule Will Lead to New Transmission Lines
FERC’s new rule does two big things that will lead to new transmission lines: It strengthens regional planning processes and clarifies rules on who will pay for new lines—so-called “cost allocation.”

July 28, 2011
Idea of the Day: We Need to Expand Financial Opportunities in Low-Income Communities of Color
Wealth deterioration is now an American problem and that means it requires a comprehensive approach that provides equal opportunities to build wealth for all low-income American families.

July 27, 2011
Idea of the Day: Diversity Education at Risk
There is a disturbing trend emerging across the country where the current economic climate is used to justify budget cuts and diversity education departments are the first to go.

July 26, 2011
Idea of the Day: African Americans Suffering from Higher Unemployment
All Americans saw significant job losses during the Great Recession and comparatively high unemployment rates persist for all population groups—none more so than African Americans.

July 25, 2011
Idea of the Day: Protect the Pell Grant Program
Congress should take a good look at what it can do about the factors causing the rise in Pell program costs rather than cutting funding without regard to the consequences.

July 22, 2011
Idea of the Day: Alabama Anti-Immigration Bill Targets Students
Alabama's anti-immigration bill H.B. 56 reestablishes the educational racial barriers the state supposedly put in its past.

July 21, 2011
Idea of the Day: Freight Rail Investments Will Help Economy
The $265 billion freight rail industry is a particularly smart choice for public investment in a period of tight budgets because it can turn small public investments into major economic gains.

July 20, 2011
Idea of the Day: Government Must Keep College Accrediting Agencies Accountable
Accreditors should create stricter standards for quality assurance and introduce more transparent benchmarks for continuous quality improvement at schools.

July 19, 2011
Idea of the Day: We Need to Pass the Employment Non-Discrimination Act
Passage of federal legislation such as ENDA is the only way to ensure employment discrimination protections are extended across all states and to all workers.

July 18, 2011
Idea of the Day: Conservative Federal Spending Plan Hides Massive Cuts
Capping federal spending at 18 percent of GDP would actually require cuts that are even larger than those in the original House Republican budget plan.

July 15, 2011
Idea of the Day: We Need to Get Defense Spending Under Control
Congress and the Obama administration must get defense spending under control as the country faces large budget deficits and debt.

July 14, 2011
Idea of the Day: Hitting the Debt Ceiling Would Hurt National Security
If Congress does not raise the debt limit, everything our country does to protect our national security and guarantee the welfare of our veterans would be put at risk.

July 13, 2011
Idea of the Day: Union-Management Collaboration Can Help Public Schools
Union-management collaboration improves and restructures public schools from the inside to enhance planning, decision-making, problem solving, and the ways teachers interact and schools are organized.

July 12, 2011
Idea of the Day: Americans Should Pay Attention to House Republicans' Medicaid Proposal
Americans should pay close attention to the House Republican proposal to replace the current Medicaid program with block-grant payments to states.

July 11, 2011
Idea of the Day: Debt Ceiling Fears May Be Hurting Economy
The failure to increase the federal debt limit may well be part of the reason why the economy is dragging.

July 8, 2011
Idea of the Day: Young Adults Among the Hardest Hit by Unemployment
Young adults across our nation are among the hardest hit by unemployment, with one out of four 16- to 19-year-olds and one out of every seven 20- to 24-year-olds without a job today.

July 7, 2011
Idea of the Day: Congress Should Pass Employment Non-Discrimination Act
Congress should pass the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, or ENDA, which would provide important and needed protections against workplace discrimination based on a person’s real or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity.

July 6, 2011
Idea of the Day: Getting Ahead in the Clean Energy Race
American must invest more in the clean energy race to restore our economic competitiveness and create new jobs, and can do so while reducing the deficit.

July 5, 2011
Idea of the Day: Obama Administration Unveils Promising New Counterterrorism Strategy
The new counterterrorism strategy aims to address the evolving threat of a decentralized Al Qaeda through smaller, discreet operations, and recognizes the need to provide nonmilitary assistance to civilians in the most vulnerable areas exploited by terrorists.

July 1, 2011
Idea of the Day: Tax Expenditures Are Equivalent to Government Spending
Special tax breaks, called “tax expenditures,” are functionally and economically equivalent to government spending.