Washington Post: Battle Lines Quickly Set Over Planned Policy Shifts
Battle lines are rapidly hardening over the broad policy shifts, massive deficits and tax increases President Obama unveiled last week in his first budget request, a 10-year spending plan thick with political friction points.
Los Angeles Times: Wind-power Industry Seeks Trained Workforce
As in previous recessions, this economic downturn is boosting enrollment at community colleges and vocational schools. Educators say the difference this time is the surging interest in so-called green-collar jobs. President Obama wants to create 5 million of them over the next decade. What isn't clear is how the United States is going to prepare this workforce.
New York Times: Liberal Groups Are Flexing New Muscle in Lobby Wars
The rush of activity, particularly as it relates to health care, is illuminating a realignment of interests and a shift in the public debate, with liberal interest groups rising up to run vigorous -- and expensive -- campaigns in support of President Obama's agenda in a way they did not for the Clinton White House. And they have brought to their side some unexpected corporate support.
Billings (Mont.) Gazette: Physicians Take Step to Future
After more than a decade in medicine, Dr. David Chavez is learning how to text. He has to if he wants to prescribe drugs using his office's new electronic prescription program. The federal government has mandated that all medical providers who bill Medicare use electronic prescribing by 2013.But paying for that tool and its technical support, including software licensing fees, can be a challenge for independent medical practices that do not have the buying power of large hospital systems.
The (Raleigh) News and Observer: High-speed Rail on Faster Track
The Southeast High-Speed Rail Corridor, roughly 450 miles from Charlotte, N.C., to Washington, is one of 10 speedy train projects formally designated by the U.S. Department of Transportation since 1991. Others serve bigger urban centers, but transportation experts say few have advanced as far along the path from concept to construction as the North Carolina-Virginia plan. 