United States 2007

United States links

Hunger persists in US cities--23 city survey by US mayors sees rising need for food and affordable housing Hunger Notes December 22, 2007

Wonder what the US presidential candidates think about world hunger and poverty?  Visit the ONE site and find out.

Britain overtakes US as top World Bank donor  Marc Landler New York Times December 15, 2007

US income inequality hits record levels: incomes rose $180,000 for top 1 percent in 2005, but just $400 for middle income households Arloc Sherman Center on Budget and Policy Priorities December 15, 2007

Senate passes huge farm bill that makes only modest changes in agricultural subsidies--White House issues veto threat Dan Morgan Washington Post December 15, 2007 (You will leave this site and be required to register [once] with the Post.)

US Senate passes Peru trade pact. Oxfam says the agreement to expose Peru's small farmers to "massive dumping" of subsidized US farm goods. BBC News  December 5, 2007 (You will leave this site.) See Oxfam statement See Hunger Notes special report: Global Issues: Trade, Hunger and Poverty

Obituary: Martin McLaughlin, 89; advocate for poor and hungry Joe Holley Washington Post November 29, 2007 (You will leave this site and be required to register [once] with the Post.) See also Remembering Martin McLaughlin

Defense Secretary Gates calls for a 'dramatic increase' in US diplomatic and foreign aid budget Ann Scott Tyson Washington Post November 27, 2007 (You will leave this site and be required to register [once] with the Post.)  See Gates' full speech, other security spending articles

Social security: a promise to citizens not realized and increasingly neglected, this year's Social Watch report says Hunger Notes November 25, 2007

United Methodists take food stamp challenge Chuck Long United Methodist Church November 23, 2007

Eleven percent of US families (12 million families) were food insecure during 2006 Hunger Notes November 16, 2007 See the full USDA report (66 page PDF file).

UN challenges the US and other countries on global warming  Richard Black BBC News  November 17, 2007 (You will leave this site.) World's power plant emissions detailed.  US appears to be worst carbon dioxide polluter, with China near second.  Juliet Eilperin Washington Post November 15, 2007 (You will leave this site and be required to register [once] with the Post.)  See Hunger Notes special report Global issues: the earth, the environment, and poor people

Middle-class dream eludes African American families--many Blacks worse off than their parents, study says Michael A. Fletcher Washington Post November 13, 2007 (You will leave this site and be required to register [once] with the Post.)

Farm bill at standstill after vote Dan Morgan Washington Post November 17, 2007 (You will leave this site and be required to register [once] with the Post.) Sugar industry expands influence: donations spread beyond farm areas Dan Morgan Washington Post November 13, 2007  Senate's farm bill Includes $10 billion in new aid Dan Morgan Washington Post November 13, 2007 (You will leave this site and be required to register [once] with the Post.)  Farm bill  House passes massive farm bill. Tax issue prompts GOP opposition. Dan Morgan Washington Post July 28, 2007 (You will leave this site and be required to register [once] with the Post.) Deceased farmers got Department of Agriculture payments  Sarah Cohen Washington Post July 23, 2007 (You will leave this site and be required to register [once] with the Post.)  House  farm bill proposal continues policy of agricultural subsidies, including new subsidies for fruit and vegetables  Dan Morgan Washington Post July 19, 2007 (You will leave this site and be required to register [once] with the Post.) 2006 farm bill stories--worth a look!

Defense Secretary Gates calls for a 'dramatic increase' in US diplomatic and foreign aid budget Ann Scott Tyson Washington Post November 27, 2007 (You will leave this site and be required to register [once] with the Post.)  See Gates' full speech. Congressional report says hidden costs double price of war  BBC News  November 13, 2007 (You will leave this site.)  Annual U.S. intelligence budget put at $43.5 billion--or over $50 billion including the security budget of the military Walter Pincus  Washington Post October 30, 2007 (You will leave this site and be required to register [once] with the Post.) Increase in war funding sought. $42 billion boost would raise 2008 total to $190 billion Josh White and Ann Scott Tyson Washington Post September 27, 2007 (You will leave this site and be required to register [once] with the Post.) 

Shatarya McGhee, foreground; DeMontray Houston, center; and Tyronza Thompson at Como Elementary, where math and reading test scores rank last among Mississippi schools. Photo: Peter Whoriskey/Washingon Post

On the Mississippi delta, a whole school left behind Peter Whoriskey Washington Post October 28, 2007 (You will leave this site and be required to register [once] with the Post.)

Washington DC poverty rate grows amid an economic boom  Sylvia Moreno Washington Post October 24, 2007 (You will leave this site and be required to register [once] with the Post.) 

Democrats set up fresh veto fight over child health insurance plan  BBC News  October 27, 2007 (You will leave this site.) Congress fails to override Bush veto of child health bill  BBC News  October 18, 2007 (You will leave this site.) Bush veto for child health bill BBC News  October 3, 2007 Senate and House reach accord on expanded health insurance for children--President Bush plans veto Christopher Lee Washington Post September 22, 2007 (You will leave this site and be required to register [once] with the Post.) Senate passes child health care bill that would increase tobacco taxes to pay for an expanded children's healthcare insurance program BBC News  August 3, 2007  Bush: no deal on poor children's health plan Christopher Lee Washington Post July 19, 2007

New eBay site helps finance poor in developing countries by permitting US citizens to make microcredit loans to those in developing countries   BBC News  October 23, 2007 (You will leave this site.) See the site, called MicroPlace

A shift in Bush's trade politics--Congressional compromise sought on deals for Latin America Neil Irwin Washington Post October 10, 2007 (You will leave this site and be required to register [once] with the Post.) US Senate backs trade agreement with Peru  VOA News September 21, 2007 (You will leave this site.)  See Hunger Notes special report Global issues: trade, hunger, and poverty

50 years after the integration of Little Rock High School by 9 African-American students (guarded by1000 US paratroopers), its legacy is celebrated and examined BBC News  September 24, 2007 (You will leave this site.)

Thousands come to Jenna, Louisiana to protest harsh treatment of African-American students after school racial incidents there BBC News  September 22, 2007 (You will leave this site.)

Bush steps out front on climate issue, but no US policy shift is planned as nations begin debate on post-Kyoto accord Steven Mufson and Juliet Eilperin Washington Post September 23, 2007 (You will leave this site and be required to register [once] with the Post.) 

Mexican drug cartels move north, now operating in almost every US region.  US effort to battle groups is flawed, GAO report says Manuel Roig-Franzia Washington Post September 20, 2007 (You will leave this site and be required to register [once] with the Post.) 

Crocker urges Iraq refugee action: admission of refugees bogged down by "major botttlenecks" resulting from security reviews  BBC News  September 17, 2007 (You will leave this site.)

The number of people in the United States classified as poor levels off at 36.5 million for 2006 after rising since 2000; the number of people without health insurance continues to grow, reaching 47 million, new Census Bureau statistics show N.C. Aizenman and Christopher Lee Washington Post August 29, 2007 (You will leave this site and be required to register [once] with the Post.)  For more information see the US Census Bureau's 2006 poverty page

Bush's sweeping push for democracy sinking Peter Baker Washington Post August 20, 2007 (You will leave this site and be required to register [once] with the Post.)

Mexican woman (whose fight to stay in the US with her US-born son attracted national attention) sent back to Mexico as an illegal immigrant BBC News  August 20, 2007 (You will leave this site.)

Study: almost half of murder victims black Dan Eggen Washington Post August 10, 2007 (You will leave this site and be required to register [once] with the Post.)For some in Oakland, editor's murder shows subversion of black activism Karl Vick  Washington Post August 10, 2007

Draft world health report reflects tensions at HHS Christopher Lee Washington Post July 31, 2007 (You will leave this site and be required to register [once] with the Post.)  Bush aide blocked Surgeon General's world health report--rejected for not being political Christopher Lee and Marc Kaufman Washington Post July 29, 2007 (You will leave this site and be required to register [once] with the Post.)

World Trade Organization agrees with Brazil that U.S. cotton subsidies violate trade rules BBC News  July 27, 2007 (You will leave this site.) See Hunger Notes special report Global Issues: trade, hunger and poverty

Aid may grow for laid-off workers Lori Montgomery Washington Post July 23, 2007 (You will leave this site and be required to register [once] with the Post.)

On tour to highlight poverty, Edwards tries to shift race's focus  Perry Bacon Jr. Washington Post July 17, 2007 (You will leave this site and be required to register [once] with the Post.)

Climate change debate hinges on economics: lawmakers doubt voters would fund big carbon cuts  Steven Mufson Washington Post July 15, 2007 (You will leave this site and be required to register [once] with the Post.)

U.S.-South Korea trade pact signed BBC News June 30, 2007 End nears for era of presidential trade authority  Peter S. Goodman  Washington Post June 30, 2007 (You will leave this site and be required to register [once] with the Post.) See Hunger Notes special report Global Issues: trade, hunger and poverty

Court ruling likely to further segregate schools Amit R. Paley and Brigid Schulte Washington Post June 30, 2007 (You will leave this site and be required to register [once] with the Post.)  United States split over school race verdict. Opponents criticize a  Supreme Court ruling that says race cannot be used as a factor in school entry.  BBC News June 29, 2007 (You will leave this site.)

Starbucks agrees to surrender copyrights on Ethiopian coffee names to Ethiopia BBC News  June 21, 2007 (You will leave this site.) See Hunger Notes special report Global Issues: trade, hunger and poverty

Immigration Hazelton illegal immigration laws ruled unconstitutional – Judge Sides says employers and landlords should not be burdened  Best Syndication July 26, 2007 Immigration bill's failure has immigrants down, not leaving. Many say they will remain -- and keep working -- in the United States illegally. Pamela Constable and N.C. Aizenman Washington Post June 30, 2007 Deportees' bittersweet homecoming: migration Is boon, bane for Honduras Pamela Constable Washington Post June 27, 2007 Senate vote dashes Bush immigration plan BBC News June 29, 2007 (You will leave this site.)   Bush to seek immigration support BBC News  June 12, 2007 (You will leave this site.) Setback for immigration reform BBC News  June 8, 2007  President Bush, Senate reach agreement on immigration bill  BBC News  May 17, 2007

No breakthrough on key issue of value of yuan in U.S.-China talks.  China evidently will allow small daily revaluations, while the United States wants major revaluation BBC News  May 23, 2007 (You will leave this site.)

Congress approves minimum wage hike Lori Montgomery Washington Post May 25, 2007 (You will leave this site and be required to register [once] with the Post.)

Rep. Tim Ryan (D-Ohio), right, deliberates with press secretary Brad Bauman about which items to keep in his basket as he buys $21 worth of groceries, the weekly food stamp allotment, as part of a House Hunger Caucus challenge. Photo: Katherine Frey/The Washington Post

Can you eat nutritious meals on a food stamp budget? Some say yes.  Sally Squires Washington Post June 19, 2007 (You will leave this site and be required to register [once] with the Post.) Food stamp challenge: lawmakers find $21 a week doesn't buy a lot of groceries Lyndsey Layton Washington Post May 16, 2007 (You will leave this site and be required to register [once] with the Post.)  See Rep. Jim McGovern's blog and Ryan's blog on the experience.

Pentagon hopes to expand aid program: legislation would help fund foreign governments' military, security forces Walter Pincus Washington Post May 13, 2007 (You will leave this site and be required to register [once] with the Post.) War in Iraq and Afghanistan become the second most expensive war in U.S. history--$609 billion  Lori Montgomery Washington Post May 4, 2007 (You will leave this site and be required to register [once] with the Post.)  See Hunger Notes special report Development assistance 

The U.S. Congress and Administration agree on new trade standards with significantly greater labor and environmental protections  BBC News  May 4, 2007 

Notes of despair: on D.C. court bulletin board, pleas for vanished parents and stories of foster kids' damaged worlds come to life Darragh Johnson Washington Post  March 4, 2007 (You will leave this site and be required to register [once] with the Post.)

Building a career path where there was just a dead end Dale Russakoff Washington Post  February 26, 2007 (You will leave this site and be required to register [once] with the Post.)

Time spent hungry, time well spent. Teens work and ast to raise awareness of those less fortunate.  Rosalind S. Helderman Washington Post  February 26, 2007 (You will leave this site and be required to register [once] with the Post.)

Flint, Michigan, GM's production centre, was once a thriving community.  Photo: BBC

The dilemma for U.S. car workers  Steve Schifferes  BBC News  February 21, 2007 (You will leave this site.) The decline of Detroit Steve Schifferes  BBC News  February 18, 2007

House advances minimum wage hike Lori Montgomery  Washington Post  February 17, 2007 (You will leave this site and be required to register [once] with the Post.) Senate adds tax breaks to minimum wage bill. Raise passes, but House leaders refuse to accept amendments. Lori Montgomery  Washington Post  February 2, 2007

If the current U.S. tax cuts are extended as the President proposes, the top 1% of U.S. households will receive 30% of the benefits  Aviva Aron-Dine Center on Budget and Policy Priorities February 5, 2007

Senate adds tax breaks to minimum wage bill. Raise passes, but House leaders refuse to accept amendments. Lori Montgomery  Washington Post  February 2, 2007 (You will leave this site and be required to register [once] with the Post.) Life at $7.25 an hour: as House prepares to vote on minimum-wage increase, issue is complex for those who earn, or pay, that amount  David Finkel  Washington Post  January 10, 2007 (You will leave this site and be required to register [once] with the Post.)

USDA outlines a plan to cut farm subsidies. Proposal would close many loopholes.  Dan Morgan and Gilbert M. Gaul Washington Post  February 1, 2007 (You will leave this site and be required to register [once] with the Post.)

Bush acknowledges income inequality   Michael Abramowitz and Lori Montgomery  Washington Post  February 1, 2007 (You will leave this site and be required to register [once] with the Post.)  Income inequality continues to widen in the United States Arloc Sherman and Aviva Aron-Dine, Center on Budget and Policy Priorities  January 23, 2007

A new consensus on universal health care  Steven Pearlstein  Washington Post  January 17, 2007 (You will leave this site and be required to register [once] with the Post.)

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