Federal government benefits in the US —chiefly Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid,  veterans' benefits, income security, unemployment insurance, and veterans' benefits—accounted for 17.6 percent of personal income in 2009. The New York Times today published another of its fantastic interactive charts, this one showing where federal assistance has gone over the last 40 years: what counties got what percentage of their personal income from which programs in each of those years. This screenshot doesn't do the actual chart justice, so click through to the original. An accompanying story concludes that, while social support programs once went mostly to the poorest Americans, the middle...

12 February, 2012

Yesterday, I posted about the pitfalls facing a minister who receives an official complaint from a well-known political ally, and critiqued Community Services Minister Denise Peterson-Rafuse for her navigation of these tricky waters. Reader Mark Austin offers a broader assessment of the minister: While you are right on your scoring of Minister Peterson-Rafuse on her recent public foray, I think you have to award her a few points for being willing to communicate off the cuff. She strikes me as sincere and earnest. I would give her back one point for that. So, 1-1. Last week, at the Taking...

01 November, 2010