Alex Caputo-Pearl, president elect of United Teachers Los Angeles, takes questions on about the verdict of the Vergara v. California lawsuit in Los Angeles Tuesday, June 10, 2014. A judge struck down tenure and other job protections for California's public school teachers as unconstitutional Tuesday, saying such laws harm students, especially poor and minority ones, by saddling them with bad teachers. (Photo: Damian Dovarganes, AP)

Dangerous Court Rulling Is Latest Attempt to Blame Teachers ... Read more »

“Buying Up America”: The Individual Wealth of US Billionaires

A quaint comparison of what money can buy in today’s market has Bill Gates being able to afford every home in Boston. His $76.6 billion reported by the Washington Post or the $78.4 billion by Forbes seems a pittance when put up against  ... Read more »

Al Gore: Snowden Revealed Crimes 'Way More Serious' Than Any He Committed

Former vice president says NSA overreach poses "a threat to democracy."

Former Vice President Al Gore, who on Tuesday said Edward Snowden performed
"an important service." (Photo: Environmental Defence Canada/cc/flickr)

Former U.S. Vice President Al Gore on Tuesday said that Edward Snowden's revelations showed the NSA's "threat to democracy& ... Read more »

A Texas-sized climate crisis: Water wars break out across state

Extended drought and supply-side water policy have left rural regions of Texas fighting for resources

Gary Cheatwood grew up near the town of Cuthand, in far northeast Texas, and he always found peace along the wooded banks of Little Mustang Creek. His grandfather had bought 100 acres in 1917 and now Gary’s family owns 600 acres of bottomland near where the creek’s clear waters meet the Sulphur River. He especially loves the woods around the creek – some 70 species of hardwood trees, ... Read more »

Wal-Mart in Danvers, Massachusetts. A new report shows that the retailer exploits
a "performance pay" loophole saving it $104 million in corporate taxes. (AP Photo/Lisa Poole)

Back in 1979, notes a new Economic Policy Institute report released last week, households in America’s statistical middle — the 20 percent of households making more than the nation’s poorest 40 percent and less than the nation& ... Read more »