Karen Sue Smith

Whatever one thinks of the ldquo trickle down theory rdquo of economic growth this much is clear the economic burdens of the Great Recession have not trickled down but have rained down like a deluge soaking some groups much more than others Between 2005 and 2009 Hispanic and black families lo

Quietly and steadily President Obama has pursued two very different legacy goals that stand to benefit the nation for decades he has diversified the judiciary at its highest levels and set new fuel emissions standards for medium- and heavy-duty vehicles Consider the first In two Supreme Court ap

Public discussion of a new study by the Pew Research Center titled ldquo Twenty to One rdquo has focused on the report rsquo s main finding that the Great Recession has resulted in record highs in wealth disparity in the U S especially among Latinos and blacks in comparison with whites The rep

In the United States when clergy urge their congregations to vote for or against a particular law or candidate the federal government typically has this concern Have the clergy as leaders of tax-exempt religious groups overstepped the legal bounds that qualify them and their churches for tax exem

Watching this whole debt ceiling spectacle is a trial for me I want to tell the Republicans ldquo Stop playing games that stymie every Democratic offer and initiative and do your patriotic duty compromise for the good of the nation rdquo And I want to tell the Democrats ldquo Don rsquo t giv

The United States has been a major exporter of popular culture for decades We see ourselves as well as an exporter of democracy And the recent hopes expressed by young people of many nations shows that democracy or at least self-government in some form is an aspirational or inspirational export

Americans sometimes evince an erroneous understanding of an idea that is in the bedrock of U S government mdash the separation of church and state One commonly sees this misunderstanding in letters to the editor and blog comments about such controversial topics as gay marriage abortion and end-o

I rsquo m of two minds when it comes to air conditioning At work I set my air conditioner thermostat to 75 or 76 degrees Since my office is compact that setting keeps me cool and able to concentrate all day long Except on the hottest days of summer my workplace is a little box of bliss When I

ldquo Collectors do want tried-and-tested artists rdquo This remark quoted in a recent review of the Swiss art festival Art Basel struck me It was uttered in part to explain the absence of emerging talents on view this year As this gallery spokesman said in effect the reason there so few ne

I once thought I might have to join or start a Penny Pinchers Anonymous group Frugality seemed old-fashioned something left over from having parents who remembered the Great Depression It seemed almost like a psychological problem or perhaps a bad habit to some of my grad school friends But I