Weekend Reading List
For this weekend’s reading list, we have articles on public support for cuts to military spending, the growing number of children in foster care after their parents were deported, the continued strength of Social Security, how public-private partnerships on infrastructure projects are too often a rip off of taxpayers, and the continued privatization of education in Philadelphia and other urban school districts.
If you have any feedback on any of these articles, or would like to recommend an article for next weekend’s reading list, please let us know in the comments section below or at the Winning Progressive Facebook page.
Public Overwhelmingly Supports Large Defense Spending Cuts – An in-depth survey of public opinion shows that the public favors cutting an average of $103 billion per year from military spending, which is far larger than either political party is currently proposing.
Shattered Families – a report on how there are currently at least 5,100 children in foster care in the US because their parents have been deported, and how increasingly aggressive deportation efforts could increase that number to 20,000 within five years.
What the 2012 Trustee’s Report Shows About Social Security – an in-depth review of the Social Security Board of Trustee’s 2012 report on the status of Social Security. The report confirms that Social Security remains fully solvent until 2033, would be able to continue paying 75% of benefits after that, and can remain fully solvent until for the next 75 years with only relatively minor changes.
The Wall Street Racket Looting Your City, One Block At a Time – how the “public-private partnerships” that are frequently used to finance infrastructure projects are far too often end up sapping away needed public resources so that the private investors can continue to profit.
The Remaking of Philadelphia Public Schools: Privatization or Bust – a critical look at the City of Philadelphia’s plan to close 64 of its public schools over the next five years and to funnel at least 40% of the system’s students into charter schools, which seems to be part of a growing privatization of education in urban school districts.
Tags: budget cuts, charter schools, defense spending, education, foster homes, immigration, infrastructure, military, Philadelphia, public private partnerships, public schools, Social Security
