New GOP Bills Attack the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau

- February 17, 2017

The Republicans are at it again in their plans to overhaul many aspects American life. Their target this time? Title X of the Dodd-Frank Act, “which established the CFPB.” On Tuesday, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Rep. John Ratcliffe (R-Texas) introduced companion bills that would effectively “eliminate the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB),” a “controversial watchdog” organization that many Republicans have been targeting for some time now. Now since their party is in the White House and in control of the House and Senate, many are seeking to take advantage of the position of power to push their agendas through, including passing the two companion bills.

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Restoration Hardware Recalls Tables Over Lead Exposure Concerns

- February 16, 2017

Restoration Hardware has issued a recall for thousands of their Railroad Tie and Parsons Railroad Tie metal top dining tables. The recalled tables were sold at “Restoration Hardware outlets and online from March 2012 to Dec. 2016,” and the decision for the recall came after the company received “reports of elevated blood lead levels in

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Consider Both Sides of the Balance Sheet

- February 16, 2017

One of the problems with news and newslike coverage in the media these days is one-sidedness. Slant has been with us for a long time, but in an era of Fake News and Alternative Facts, it’s taken on a more important role in the way people perceive and interact with the world. People easily fall into echo chambers, populated entirely by peers and media outlets who share their worldview. A lack of dissent, coupled with reinforcement of existing beliefs, surely comforts, but comes at a cost. Not challenging yourself to consider new or opposing ideas means possibly missing out on important truths. Truths which, in a changing world, become ever more crucial for good decision-making and creation of policy. To step out of the echo chamber and think more critically, we should adopt the accounting concept of the balance sheet.

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Settlement Reached Between Harassed Female Workers and the Federal Bureau of Prisons

- February 16, 2017

A settlement has been reached between the Federal Bureau of Prisons and female workers who claim they were “sexually harassed by prisoners” at the Coleman Federal Correctional Complex near Orlando, Florida. Last Friday, an administrative judge signed off on the settlement that could amount to $20 million to compensate the female workers for “emotional distress and physical harm as well as reimbursement of out-of-pocket expenses resulting from harassment from male inmates.” So what exactly happened?

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New Bills Would End “Surprise Billing” In Georgia

- February 14, 2017

Urgent cares and hospitals are busy this time of the year. Between the flu, colds, and rare cases of pneumonia, people across the country tend to catch more infections during the winter months than any other time of the year. Unfortunately, this means an increased number of patients experiencing a situation known as “surprise billing.” This is when “a patient goes to a hospital that is covered by her insurance but ends up receiving a bill for out-of-network services.” Not only is this unfair to patients, but it can have lasting impacts on their finances. Fortunately, legislators in Georgia are preparing new bills designed to put an end to surprise billing. That comes as a relief for many, especially for Dan Harrison, a recent victim of surprise billing.

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