Category «Economy»

The Tyranny of the Pandemic Office

The New Republic: “I read Anderson’s book Private Government: How Employers Rule Our Lives (and Why We Don’t Talk About It) at the beginning of the pandemic. Over the last few months, I kept returning to it as the physical workplace, the book’s primary topic of interest, mutated and then, for many white-collar workers, effectively …

Subjects: Economy, Financial System, Health Care, Internet, Knowledge Management, Legal Research, Privacy, Recommended Books

The Social Security Administration’s Death Data: In Brief

CRS report via LC – The Social Security Administration’s Death Data: In Brief, Updated January 11, 2021: “The Social Security Administration (SSA) acquires and maintains death data to administer the Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) programs, including preventing the improper payment of benefits to deceased individuals and identifying individuals who are potentially eligible …

Subjects: Congress, Economy, Financial System, Government Documents, Legislation

Racial Allies – public interest law sector in the United States

Adediran, Atinuke O., Racial Allies (December 24, 2020). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3755013  – “Public interest law has played a critical role in American social and legal change both historically and in modern times. From abolitionist lawyers, to lawyers involved in civil rights and civil liberties, to lawyers challenging economic inequality, the eviction crisis and immigration, public …

Subjects: Civil Liberties, Economy, Knowledge Management, Legal Research

Resources for Tracking Federal COVID-19 Spending

CRS report via LC – Resources for Tracking Federal COVID-19 Spending, Updated January 6, 2021 – “Congress has responded to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic with supplemental appropriations measures providing relief and assistance to individuals and families, state and local governments, businesses, health care providers, and other entities. For more information, see CRS Report R46474, …

Subjects: Congress, E-Government, E-Records, Economy, Financial System, Government Documents, Health Care, Legal Research, Legislation

Sci-Hub: Scientists, Academics, Teachers & Students Protest Blocking Lawsuit

TorrentFreak: “Following in the footsteps of the entertainment industries, publishers are increasingly trying to have pirate sites shut down or blocked to prevent the unlicensed spread of academic and scientific papers. Their main targets are Sci-Hub (‘The Pirate Bay of Science’) and Libgen (Library Genesis), platforms with a key aim of distributing such papers freely …

Subjects: Economy, Education, Internet, Knowledge Management, Legal Research, Libraries, Search Engines

Road Map for Improvements: GAO’s Transition Webpage Flags Ways to Improve Government, Save Money

“The 117th Congress and the incoming Presidential administration will be taking office in a time that presents significant challenges to the government. Today the U.S. Government Accountability Office launched a new webpage dedicated to informing incoming lawmakers and administration officials about major challenges facing the federal government, as well as possible solutions. This Presidential and …

Subjects: Civil Liberties, Congress, E-Government, E-Records, Economy, Financial System, Government Documents, Health Care, Legal Research

You can track your new stimulus payment online with two free tools

CNet: “Did you know that the IRS and US Treasury are only making second stimulus check payments through Jan. 15? Well, it’s complicated. But if you’re trying to sort out when exactly your $600 stimulus money will arrive through direct-deposit, paper checks and EIP cards, you’ve come to the right place. (By the way, here’s how to calculate your …

Subjects: E-Government, Economy, Financial System, Government Documents

COVID-19, Death Records and the Public Interest: Now is the Time to Push for Transparency

Sanders, A. K. (2020). COVID-19, death records and the public interest: Now is the time to push for transparency. Journal of Civic Information, 2(4), 1-22. “As the U.S. has grappled with COVID-19, the government has resisted repeated requests to follow open records laws, which are essential to transparency. Current efforts to reduce access to death …

Subjects: Civil Liberties, E-Records, Economy, Freedom of Information, Government Documents, Health Care, Knowledge Management, Legal Research, Poverty, Privacy