Kateri A. Jochum appears in the following:
US Navy Aids Japan Relief Efforts
Monday, March 14, 2011
Thousands are still missing in Japan and the search efforts are challenging: in addition to the rubble left by the earthquake, large areas of land are still flooded, and more than 200,000 people have been evacuated from areas to protect citizens from radiation poisoning. Japan's Prime Minister Naoto Kan has said this is the country's greatest crisis since World War II. The U.S. Navy is flying missions to assess the debris field at sea and drop humanitarian aid. 150 of America's top search-and-rescue specialists from Virginia and California arrived Monday morning to travel to the coastal village of Ofunato in Iwate prefecture.
The No-Run Candidate: New Jersey Governor Chris Christie
Thursday, March 10, 2011
New Jersey Republican Governor Chris Christie's mantra in every national interview is that he is not running for President in 2012. But that hasn't stopped Republicans from asking, or voters from noticing. In a recent Quinnipiac University poll, respondents ranked Christie number three, just below first lady Michelle Obama and former President Bill Clinton (and one step above President Barack Obama) when asked to rate how they feel about public leaders. Christie is, in a word, a "hot" political commodity. But polls also showed Christie has issues with name recognition: 55 percent of respondents said they didn't know him well enough to make a decision.
Libya: Headed for Democracy or Extremism?
Monday, March 07, 2011
While no one seems to believe Moammar Gadhafi's claims that the rebel forces have been "brainwashed by Bin Laden," there are real concerns over the potential for extremism in the region. Speaking to the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations last week, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton pointed out that many al-Qaida jihadists in Afghanistan and Iraq were from the "so-called free area of Libya." How real is the danger that extremist groups like al-Qaida could use the chaos and ensuing power vacuum to set up camp in Libya?
Union Battles Mean Tough Times for Teachers
Friday, March 04, 2011
Teachers in Wisconsin may be throwing figurative fruit at politicians, but lawmakers across the country, from New York to California, are vowing to get rid of what they are calling the “bad apples” of the profession. Lawmakers in half a dozen states are trying to lift tenure and seniority protection, threatening mass layoffs and targeting teachers as the root of a failing education system. We asked the teachers in our listening audience: What makes you keep being a teacher?
Are Union Issues Civil Rights Issues?
Friday, March 04, 2011
While the image of union workers is one of white men in hard hats, the reality is that African-Americans and other minorities may be hit hardest if the unions fall. Studies show that 14.5 percent of all public sector workers in the nation are black and one in five black workers are employed in public administration. Teachers, police and firefighters are not the only professionals affected in the battle raging in Wisconsin between union workers and the Republican-led state government, either. If the law passes, service employees like janitors, garbage collectors, and home health care workers will not only lose their ability to collectively bargain for wages and benefits, but their right to a union altogether.
Refugees Flock to Libyan-Tunisian Border
Monday, February 28, 2011
It has been called a modern day exodus: Over 100,000 people have fled Libya so far in the wake of the protests and violent retaliation from Col. Moammar Gadhafi’s regime. The majority of the Libyan population lives in Tripoli, which is in the western part of the country. Tens of thousands have now fled to the country's nearest border, to Tunisia, in just the past few days. How will Tunisia — in upheval itself over recent revolution — deal with the influx?
State Dept's PJ Crowley on US Mid-East Foreign Policy
Friday, February 18, 2011
Egypt, Bahrain, Yemen, Libya: Friend or foe? That question is getting harder to answer, as crackdowns on protests in the Middle East by U.S. allied governments blur the lines. Just in December, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton praised Bahrain for its progress on the road to democracy. Today, the State Department reaped criticism for their weak stance against the police violence that has left at least six dead. But how will the U.S. realign itself, should Shiite protestors topple the government in Bahrain — a strategic partner that guarantees military access to the region? And what about Yemen, an ally against terrorist forces in the region? What will the new U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East look like after the wave of change is over?
Democrats in Hiding: Wisconsin and the Union Battle
Friday, February 18, 2011
In Wisconsin, the state's 14 Democratic senators left the state on Thursday in an attempt to stall a vote that would strip state workers of their bargaining right. There are 19 Senators in the Republican majority, but they need at least 20 for a quorum. Throughout the week, tens of thousands of state employees, including teachers and prison workers, have protested at the State Capitol in Madison, camping out in the building through the night and marching during the day.
Iranian Government Clamps Down on Protests
Thursday, February 17, 2011
During the protests in Egypt and Tunisia, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's government praised the uprisings, saying that the "era of puppet regimes" had come to an end. In a similar vein this week, opposition groups are saying the government has "co-opted" the February 14th death of university student Saneh Jaleh during marches in Tehran. On Wednesday, funeral services were held by both opposition and pro-government groups. The government has said that Jaleh was an informant, and killed by opposition forces. A pro-government rally is planned for Friday.
Proposed Bill Threatens Wisconsin Unions
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Teachers and other state workers in Wisconsin are rallying at the State Capitol in Madison this week over a bill that would remove the unions' rights to collectively bargain over health care and pension benefits. The bill, proposed by newly-elected Republican Governor Scott Walker, would also mean a roughly eight percent wage cut for 176,000 government workers, who would have to pay more for health care and pension contributions. Republicans hold the majority in both the state's Senate and Assembly — but it is yet unclear whether Walker will be able to secure the vote. Wisconsin was the first state to write collective bargaining laws for state employees and is the birthplace of the national union for non-federal public employees.
Egypt Rewrites Its Constitution
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
The Egyptian military has set up an eight-person panel of legal experts to revise the country's constitution. The panel includes a Coptic Christian jurist and a member of the Muslim Brotherhood – and so far, opposition leaders have praised it as a respected and credible group of individuals. Outside experts have argued about the need to either completely rewrite or extensively revise the country's legal framework. But most agree that the ten day deadline the Egyptian military has set for completion isn't enough time — and that the process may undermine the underlying goal for more democracy in the country.
Revitalizing Rural America
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Rural America makes up 90 percent of the country but holds less than 20 percent of the population, and those numbers continue to decline. Yesterday we looked at a book putting forth the argument that cities make us better, happier and healthier. But what about the argument for living in the country?
Facing the Big Bad Budget
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Breaking a record is almost always good — except when it comes to the deficit. The federal deficit is set to reach its highest figure ever: $1.65 trillion for this fiscal year. That would make it more than 10 percent of the toal economy, the highest level since 1945. And that is just for the current year. In total, the national debt — the cumulative total of deficits since the beginning of the Republic — is set to grow from $14 trillion today to $16.7 trillion by September 30, 2012. Lawmakers will begin debating $61 billion in budget cuts for the remaining months of this fiscal year today, but what will those cuts mean for average Americans?
Can Egypt Recoup Mubarak's Fortune?
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
How to Find Our 'Sputnik Moments'
Thursday, January 27, 2011
In his State of the Union speech, President Obama invoked the image of Sputnik, the Soviet satellite whose launch not only ignited the Space Race, but also led to a wave of investments for science technology. But how does the fear factor from 1958 translate into 2011? And will this generation's "Sputnik moment" be enough to galvanize society in the way Obama envisions?
Tunisia's 'Jasmine Revolution'
Monday, January 17, 2011
The month-long uprising that brought an abrupt end to the 23-year rule of Tunisia's President Ben Ali on Friday is still reeling from its own force. Even as the interim government called for democratic elections in the upcoming months, sniper fire from what were thought to be renegade police militia battling the military could be heard on Sunday in pockets of the capital Tunis. Protesters hope there will be enough time for fledgling opposition groups to become a power to be reckoned with, but skeptics are fearful that elections could open the doors of Tunisia's modern secular society to more fundamentalist Islamic groups as well.
Rating vs. Resume: Can Bad Credit Kill Your Job Prospects?
Thursday, December 23, 2010
We reported yesterday on a lawsuit brought against test-prep giant Kaplan by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, who accused the company of discriminating against African-American job applicants by using credit histories in their hiring processes. As it turns out, Kaplan is hardly the only company to do so. According to Takeaway listener Christina Tobin, her bankruptcy filing report has overshadowed her new accounting degree in her job hunt.
Serving Up Politics at the Holiday Dinner Table
Thursday, December 23, 2010
When families get together for the holidays, there's bound to be tons of food, drink and cheer. But a slice of political debate often comes along with the green beans. Talking politics may be a no-go for a cocktail party, but for lots of families it's a holiday staple. Tax cuts, health care, the Tea Party: Which topics will be the hot potatoes of this year's festivities?
Virginia Pols Spearhead Movement for More States' Rights
Monday, December 20, 2010
Virginia's Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli is one of several politicians spearheading a proposal for re-balancing state and federal power, through what's being called the "repeal amendment." The amendment to the Constitution would, with a vote of 33 states' legislatures, give states the ability to repeal any federal law passed in Congress. Virginia has a long history of states' rights activism — in response to the federally-mandated desegregation of schools in the 1950s, state leaders responded with "massive resistance," choosing to privatize some school districts to prevent integration. As the South commemorates the 150th anniversary of the Confederacy, is this new emphasis on states' rights a step towards secessionism?
Virginia Judge Rules Health Care Law Unconstitutional
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
District courts across the country are passing judgement on the Obama administration's health care reform legislation. Yesterday Judge Henry E. Hudson ruled the "individual mandate," that requires everyone to purchase health insurance, was unconstitutional. He says the government overstretched its powers under the Constitution's "Commerce Clause," which allows Congress to regulate individual conduct that affects the economy. Judge Hudson's ruling opens up the debate further, but how will it play in higher courts?