MSNBC fires Greta Van Susteren, replaces her with liberal host – Fox News

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Greta Van Susteren is out at MSNBC less than six months after she started at the cable channel.

Van Susteren broke the news of her own ouster Thursday, tweeting "I'm out at MSNBC" shortly before the network issued its own announcement. Van Susteren's husband, John Coale, told CNNMoney, "They let her go," and added that she and MSNBC were "working out contract issues now."

CNNMoney also reported that Van Susteren was given no prior notice of the decision and was told her on-air presence was not "confrontational enough."

MSNBC said that Van Susteren's nightly 6 p.m. show would be replaced with one hosted by Ari Melber, MSNBC's chief legal correspondent who also hosts his own weekend show, "The Point."

The reliably liberal Melber worked on John Kerry's 2004 presidential campaign and also served as a legislative aide to Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., before attending law school and moving into media work.

Van Susteren's Washington-based show, "For the Record," debuted on Jan. 9. Her 14-year run at Fox News ended this past summer. Before that, she had her own show at CNN.

The program was the least-watched show on MSNBC between 5 p.m. and midnight both Monday and Tuesday of this week, according to the Nielsen company.

On Monday, for example, MSNBC's "Meet the Press Daily" at 5 p.m. had 970,000 viewers, and Van Susteren's show dipped to 797,000. When Chris Matthews' "Hardball" started at 7 p.m., the network's audience jumped to 1.45 million, Nielsen said.

The show is ending despite the public backing of Van Susteren's friend and MSNBC's most popular host, Rachel Maddow.

In a note to staff, MSNBC President Phil Griffin called Van Susteren "a well-regarded television veteran and one of only a few broadcasters who can say they've hosted shows at all three major cable news networks. We are grateful to her and wish her the best."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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MSNBC fires Greta Van Susteren, replaces her with liberal host - Fox News

Fiscal Freedom | Prometheism.net – Part 31

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The Path to Prosperity: A Blueprint for American Renewal

House Budget Committee Fiscal Year 2013 Budget Resolution

Read Full Report

Read Facts and Summary

A Contrast in Visions

For years, both political parties have made empty promises to the American people. Unfortunately, the President refuses to take responsibility for avoiding the debt-fueled crisis before us. Instead, his policies have put us on the path to debt and decline.

The President and his partys leaders refuse to take action in the face of the most predictable economic crisis in our nations history. The Presidents budget calls for more spending and more debt, while Senate Democrats for over 1,000 days have refused to pass a budget. This unserious approach to budgeting has serious consequences for American families, seniors, and the next generation.

We reject the broken politics of the past. The American people deserve real solutions and honest leadership. Thats what were delivering with our budget, The Path to Prosperity. House Republicans are advancing a plan of action for American renewal.

Our budget:

Cuts government spending to protect hardworking taxpayers;

Tackles the drivers of our debt, so our troops dont pay the price for Washingtons failure to take action;

Restores economic freedom and ensures a level playing field for all by putting an end to special-interest favoritism and corporate welfare

Reverses the Presidents policies that drive up gas prices, and instead promotes an all-of the-above strategy for unlocking American energy production to help lower costs, create jobs, and reduce dependence on foreign oil.

Strengthens health and retirement security by taking power away from government bureaucrats and empowering patients instead with control over their own care;

Reforms our broken tax code to spur job creation and economic opportunity by lowering rates, closing loopholes, and putting hardworking taxpayers ahead of special interests.

At its core, this plan of action is about putting an end to empty promises from a bankrupt government and restoring the fundamental American promise: ensuring our children have more opportunity and inherit a stronger America than our parents gave us.

READ FULL REPORT

The FY2013 Budget Resolution: Concurrent Resolution on the Budget for FY 2013 as Reported The Report on Concurrent Resolution on the Budget for FY 2013

Introduction by Chairman Ryan

Appendix I: Summary Tables

Appendix II: Reprioritizing Sequester Savings

CBO Analysis

Views and Estimates of Committees of the House Additional Information:

A Budget Presentation Charts

Additional Fiscal Comparisons on The Path to Prosperity

The GOP Budget and Americas Future Wall Street Journal op-ed, By Paul Ryan

More here:

Fiscal Year 2013 Budget | Budget.House.Gov

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Fiscal Freedom | Prometheism.net - Part 31

Fiscal Freedom | Prometheism.net – Part 30

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Peer-Reviewed Papers (published in academic journals):

1994|1996|1997|1998|1999|2000|2001|2002

2003|2004|2005|2006|2007 |2008 |2009 |2010 |2011

Other Papers Related to Economic Freedom: 1998-2007

If you know of any other papers current or forthcoming that should be included on this page, or have further information about any of these papers or authors, please write to freetheworld*at*fraserinstitute.org.

de Vanssay, X. and Z. A. Spindler (1994). Freedom and Growth: Do Constitutions Matter. Public Choice. 78, 3-4: 359-372.

This paper empirically investigates whether certain constitutional enumerations matter for economic growth. We find that negative (positive) rights tend to have a positive (negative) effect on economic growth, and that structural constraints have a more significant and larger effect than procedural constraints.

Uses the Scully and Slottje Index as an independent variable. (See: Scully, GW and Slottje, D, (1991) Ranking Economic Liberty Across Countries Public Choice 69, pp. 151-2). The model estimates the steady-state solution of an (institutionally) augmented Solow growth model. The dependent variable is the logarithm of per-capita income. This is a cross-section analysis covering 100 countries.

de Vanssay, X. and Z. A. Spindler (1996). Constitutions, Institutions and Economic Convergence: An International Comparison. Journal for Studies in Economics and Econometrics. 20, 3 (November): 1-19.

Abstract: This paper explores empirically whether constitutional enumerations and economic freedom indexes affect economic convergence. Some constitutional features and economic freedom do affect convergence, though economic freedom is by far the more influential.

Uses the Scully and Slottje Index as an independent variable. (See: Scully, GW and Slottje, D, (1991) Ranking Economic Liberty Across Countries Public Choice 69, pp. 151-2). The dependent variable is the average annual per capita growth rate. This is a cross-section analysis covering 109 countries.

Islam, Sadequil (1996). Economic Freedom, per Capita Income and Economic Growth. Applied Economics Letters 3: 595-97.

Examines the effect of economic freedom on income and growth in high-, middle-, and low-income country sets and finds that economic freedom is significant for a sample of all countries but only in some subsets.

Uses the precursor to Economic Freedom of the World, Measuring Economic Freedom, by James Gwartney, Walter Block and Robert Lawson, a chapter in Stephen Easton and Michael Walker (eds.), Rating Global Economic Freedom (Vancouver: The Fraser Institute, 1992). Measuring Economic Freedom is the main data source for institutional variables.

Paul, C.W.; Souder, W.E.; Schoening, N.C. (November 1996). The influence of government policies on innovation and technological advance. Journal of Scientific and Industrial Research of India. 55 (11): 851-859.

Petersmann, E.U. (June 1996). International competition rules for governments and for private business The case for linking future WTO negotiations on investment, competition and environmental rules to reforms of anti-dumping laws. Journal of World Trade. 30 (3): 5-35.

Ali, Abdiweli M. (1997). Economic Freedom, Democracy and Growth. Journal of Private Enterprise 13 (Fall): 1-20.

This paper takes advantage of newly constructed measures of economic freedom to show the importance of economic freedom on growth. I find that economic freedom is a more robust determinant of growth than political freedom and civil liberty.

Uses summary ratings from Economic Freedom of the World: 1975-1995 as one variable in a comparison of a number of institutional variables.

Anwar, S.T. (1997). Economic freedom of the world: 1975-1995. Journal of International Business Studies. 28 (4): 872-878.

Dornbusch, R. (1997). Brazils incomplete stabilization and reform. Brookings Papers on Economic Accountability. (1): 367-404.

Easton, Steven T., and Michael A. Walker (1997). Income, Growth, and Economic Freedom. American Economic Review 87 (2) (May): 328-32.

Finds that economic freedom is an important explanatory variable for steady-state levels of income. The addition of a variable for economic freedom is also shown to increase the explanatory power of a neo-classical growth model.

Economic Freedom of the World: 1975-1995 is the main data source for institutional variables.

Goldsmith, Arthur A. (1997). Economic Rights and Government in Developing Countries: Cross-National Evidence on Growth and Development. Studies in Comparative International Development 32 (2) (summer): 29-44.

The paper finds that developing countries that score better in protecting economic rights also tend to grow faster and to score higher in human development. In addition [the paper finds that] economic rights are associated with democratic government and with higher levels of average national income.

Uses summary ratings from Economic Freedom of the World: 1975-1995 as one of a number of institutional variables.

Hakura, F.S. (April 1997). The Euro-Mediterranean policy: The implications of the Barcelona Declaration. Common Market Law Review. 34 (2): 337-366.

Hanke, Steve H., and Stephen J.K. Walters (1997). Economic Freedom, Prosperity, and Equality: A Survey. Cato Journal 17 (2) (Fall): 117-46.

The article compares several institutional indexes for content and explanatory power: Gerald Scullys studies, The Fraser Institutes Economic Freedom of the World, Freedom Houses Economic Freedom Indicators, The Heritage Foundations Indices of Economic Freedom, The International Institute for Management Developments World Competitiveness Yearbook 1996, The World Forums Global Competitiveness Report 1996. Compares liberty and prosperity, equality and foreign policy implications. They find that economic freedom is positively correlated with per-capita GNP.

Economic Freedom of the World: 1975-1995 is used as one variable in a comparison of a number of institutional variables.

Jordan, Jerry L. (1997). Jobs Creation and Government Policy. Cato Journal 16 (3) (Winter): 287-94.

Argues that employment-creating initiatives or job-creation policies hinder the creation of new technology and the process of creative destruction. Also argues that the role of government monetary intervention in the economy should be limited to creating stable monetary policy.

Makes reference to the general conclusions of Economic Freedom of the World: 1975-1995 regarding economic freedom and income and growth.

Download the paper. (PDF)

Mbaku, J.M. (December 1997). Africa in the post-Cold War era: Three strategies for survival. Journal of Asian and African Studies. 32 (3-4): 223-244.

Park, Walter G., and Juan Carlos Ginarte (1997). Intellectual Property Rights and Economic Growth. Contemporary Economic Policy 15 (July): 51-61.

The authors have compiled an index of intellectual property rights, and examine its effects on growth and the factors of production (investment, schooling, and R&D). The paper finds that IPRs affect economic growth indirectly by stimulating the accumulation of factor inputs like R&D and physical capital.

Uses summary ratings of Economic Freedom of the World: 1975-1995 as a control variable for market institutions in the analysis.

Trebilcock, Michael J. (1997). What Makes Poor Countries Poor?: The Role of Institutional Capital in Economic Development. Chapter in The Law and Economics of Development, edited by Edgardo Buscaglia, William Ratliff and Robert Cooter. Greenwich: JAI Press.

Discusses the general conclusions regarding economic freedom and growth found in Economic Freedom of the World: 1975-1995.

Ayal, Eliezer B., and Karras Georgios (1998). Components of Economic Freedom and Growth: An Empirical Study. Journal of Developing Areas 32 (Spring): 327-38.

The paper uses regression analysis to examine the effect of the components of economic freedom on growth, output and investment and finds that economic freedom enhances growth both via increasing total factor productivity and via enhancing capital accumulation. It also identifies components that have the highest statistical effects on these variables, with the aim of informing policy makers.

Uses component ratings from Economic Freedom of the World: 1975-1995 as the main data source for institutional variables.

Download the paper. (PDF)

Chafuen, Alejandro (1998). Estado y Corrupcion. In Alejandro Chafuen and Eugenio Guzmn, Corrupcin y Gobierno (Santiago, Chile: Fundacin Libertad y Desarrollo): 45-98.

Finds that corruption is negatively related to economic freedom.

Economic Freedom of the World: 1975-1995 and Transparency International are the main data-source for institutional variables.

Dawson, John W. (1998). Institutions, Investment, and Growth: New Cross-Country and Panel Data Evidence. Economic Inquiry 36 (October): 603-19.

This paper outlines the alternative channels through which institutions affect growth, and studies the empirical relationship between institutions, investment, and growth. The empirical results indicate that (i) free-market institutions have a positive effect on growth; (ii) economic freedom affects growth through both a direct effect on total factor productivity and an indirect effect on investment; (iii) political and civil liberties may stimulate investment; (iv) an important interaction exists between freedom and human capital investment; (v) Milton Friedmans conjectures on the relation between political and economic freedom are correct; (vi) promoting economic freedom is an effective policy toward facilitating growth and other types of freedom.

Uses Economic Freedom of the World: 1975-1995 as the main data source for institutional variables.

De Haan, Jakob, and Clemens L.J. Sierman (1998). Further Evidence on the Relationship between Economic Freedom and Economic Growth. Public Choice 95: 363-80.

Primarily investigates the robustness of the index of economic freedom devised by Gerald Scully and D.J. Slottje and determines that the robustness of results depends heavily on how freedom is measured. Finds that some specifications are robust predictors of the growth rate of real per-capita GDP (1980-1992) but few are robust for investment share of GDP.

Empirical analysis on Economic Freedom of the World: 1975-1995 is limited to correlation with the Scully and Slotjies index. Suggests further empirical work be done on Economic Freedom of the World.

Elbadawi, I. and Schmidt-Hebbel, K. (December 1998). Macroeconomic policies, instability and growth in the world. Journal of African Economy. 7: 116-168 Suppl. 2.

Farr, W. Ken, Richard A. Lord, and J. Larry Wolfenbarger (1998). Economic Freedom, Political Freedom and Economic Well-Being: A Causality Analysis. Cato Journal 18 (2) (Fall): 247-62.

The paper uses Granger causality analysis to demonstrate that economic freedom causes economic well-being and economic well-being causes economic freedom. Additionally, the authors argue that economic well-being causes political freedom but that there is no causation flowing from political freedom to economic well-being. The paper also finds no evidence of a casual relationship in either direction between economic freedom and political freedom. Indirectly economic freedom causes political freedom through its effect on economic well-being.

Economic Freedom of the World: 1975-1995 and the Freedom House index of political rights and civil liberties are the main data sources for institutional variables.

Download the paper. (PDF)

Ford, John B., Kiran W. Karande, and Bruce M. Seifert (1998). The Role of Economic Freedom in Explaining the Penetration of Consumer Durables. Journal of World Business 33 (1): 69-86.

The study examines the link between economic freedom (a measure of government intervention) and the penetration of three durable goods (televisions, radios and automobiles) across countries.

Cites conclusions of Economic Freedom of the World: 1975-1995; uses other indexes of economic freedom for empirical work.

Grubel, Herbert G. (1998). Economic Freedom and Human Welfare: Some Empirical Findings. Cato Journal 18 (2) (Fall): 287-304.

The paper compares economic freedom to income, growth, unemployment in the OECD, the UN Human Development Index, life expectancy, literacy, poverty, and income distribution. It finds that economic freedom does not have a cost in terms of income levels, income growth, unemployment rates, and human development.

Economic Freedom of the World: 1997 Annual Report is the main data source for institutional variables.

Download the paper. (PDF)

Gwartney, James, Randall Holcombe, and Robert Lawson (1998). The Scope of Government and the Wealth of Nations. Cato Journal 18 (2) (Fall): 163-90.

The paper examines the effect of the size of government in OECD countries upon economic growth. This paper draws on the authors Joint Economic Committee Study, The Size and Functions of Government and Economic Growth.

Makes reference to the general conclusions regarding economic freedom and income and growth as published in Economic Freedom of the World: 1975-1995 and Economic Freedom of the World: 1997 Annual Report.

Download the paper. (PDF)

Henderson, David (1998). The Changing Fortunes of Economic Liberalism. London: Institute of Economic Affairs.

A comprehensive review of the trends in economic liberalism in the last century. The book covers economic liberalism in thought and practice as well as discussing how the climate of political and popular opinion has both helped and constrained the development of liberal policy. One section uses the Economic Freedom of the World to discuss the progress made by countries engaging in economic reform and the appendix discusses the derivation, benefits, and limitations of the Economic Freedom of the World.

Economic Freedom of the World: 1975-1995 is the only quantitative source for institutional variables.

Johnson, James P., and Tomasz Lenartowicz (1998). Culture, Freedom and Economic Growth: Do Cultural Values Explain Economic Growth? Journal of World Business 33 (4): 332-56.

The paper discusses which cultural values are associated with economic freedom, drawing on two international quantitative cultural indexes.

Uses the summary ratings from Economic Freedom of the World: 1975-1995 as one of a number of institutional variables.

Johnson, Simon, Daniel Kaufmann, and Pablo Zoido-Lobaton (1998). Government in Transition: Regulatory Discretion and the Unofficial Economy. American Economic Review, Papers and Proceedings (May): 159-239.

Empirically studies the effect of institutional quality on the share of the unofficial economy in GDP.

Uses the component, Equality of Citizens under the Law and Access of Citizens to a Non-Discriminatory Judiciary, of Economic Freedom of the World: 1997 Annual Report as one of a number of institutional variables.

Kealey, T. (April 1998). Why science is endogenous: a debate with Paul David (and Ben Martin, Paul Romer, Chris Freeman, Luc Soete and Keith Pavitt). Research Policy. 26 (7-8): 897-923.

Lim, Linda Y.C. (1998). Whose Model Failed? Implications of the Asian Economic Crisis. Washington Quarterly 21 (3): 25-36.

The paper examines the conflicting interpretations of the role of governments and economic freedom in the success and subsequent crises in Asia.

Cites conclusions of Economic Freedom of the World: 1975-1995.

Mbaku, John Mukum, (1998). Constitutional Engineering and the Transition to Democracy in Post-Cold War Africa. The Independent Review 2 (4) (Spring): 501-17.

Discusses the constitutional guarantees necessary to secure economic freedom and why such guarantees are important. Focuses specifically on Africa.

Makes reference to the general conclusions of Economic Freedom of the World: 1975-1995 regarding economic freedom and income and growth.

Milhaupt, Curtis (1998). Property Rights in Firms. Virginia Law Review 84: 1145-94.

Discusses how differences in property rights and corporate governance systems arise within differing institutional frameworks.

Uses the Property Rights component of Economic Freedom of the World: 1975-1995 as one of a number of institutional variables in case-study analysis.

Nelson, Michael A., and Ram D. Singh, (1998). Democracy, Economic Freedom, Fiscal Policy and Growth in LDCs: A Fresh Look. Economic Development and Cultural Change 46 (4) (July): 677-96.

The study examines the effect of democracy on economic growth after controlling for a number of variables for the size of government and institutions. The study finds that it is not the redistributive policies of democratic governments that hinder development in developing countries but the lack of economic freedom.

Uses the precursor to Economic Freedom of the World, Measuring Economic Freedom, by James Gwartney, Walter Block and Robert Lawson, a chapter in Stephen Easton and Michael Walker (eds.), Rating Global Economic Freedom (Vancouver: The Fraser Institute, 1992). The summary ratings of Measuring Economic Freedom are used as one variable in a comparison of a number of variables for institutions and the size of government.

Norton, Seth W. (1998). Poverty, Property Rights, and Human Well-being: A Cross-national Study. Cato Journal 18 (2) (Fall): 233-45.

The paper compares property rights to indicators of development and determines that the well-being of the worlds poorest inhabitants [is] sensitive to the cross-national specification of property rights. The paper shows that well-specified property rights enhance the well-being of the worlds most impoverished.

Economic Freedom of the World: 1997 Annual Report and the Heritage Foundations Indices of Economic Freedom are the main data source for institutional variables.

Download the paper. (PDF)

Norton, Seth W. (1998). Property Rights, the Environment, and Economic Well-Being. In Peter J. Hill and Roger E. Meiners (eds.), Who Owns the Environment (Rowman & Littlefield): 37-54.

Investigates whether countries with better property rights have better performance on environmental measures.

Uses the summary ratings of Economic Freedom of the World: 1975-1995 as one of four measures used as proxies for property rights.

Porket, J.L. (1998). Is the state in retreat? Politicka Ekonomie. 46 (6): 805-815.

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Fiscal Freedom | Prometheism.net - Part 30

GST will be India’s ‘economic freedom’: Anil Ambani – Economic Times

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MUMBAI: Industrialist Anil Ambani today termed the Goods and Services Tax (GST), being rolled out from July 1, as India's "economic freedom" and said it would make the country the biggest free and democratic market in the history of humankind.

Speaking here at a mutual fund industry event, the Reliance Group chairman said there are many ways of counting the benefits of GST and as many of counting its costs.

"But there is just one way of describing its true promise. GST is not just another piece of reform or transform, however significant. GST is the liberation of our economic imagination. It is our economic freedom," he said.

Ambani said there are moments in the life of a nation when history is made not in small steps of incremental gain but in giant leaps of ambition.

"We, the people of India, are privileged to bear witness to one such moment in time," he said, referring to the proposed rollout of GST on midnight of June 30.

"Seventy years ago, at the stroke of the midnight hour, our first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, spoke movingly in the Central Hall of Parliament about India's tryst with destiny.

"At the same mid-night hour tomorrow, as our honourable Prime Minister Narendra Modi rises to address a waiting nation from the same august Central Hall, India will be set on course for another historic tryst with destiny," he said.

Ambani said the free market is perhaps the greatest force for economic good in the human history of all earthly inventions.

He said the free market is a force for generating wealth and transforming lives and the real promise of GST is the promise of economic liberation.

With the promise of 'One Nation, One Tax, One Market', it would create a borderless world of 1.3 billion people -- producers and consumers engaged in a seamless exchange of goods and services, skill sets and capital, labour and ideas.

Ambani said the world has seen nothing like this before and in less than 48 hours, India will emerge as the biggest free and democratic market in the history of humankind.

"In tandem with its policy precursor -- demonetisation -- GST will forever change the ground rules of doing any kind of trade, commerce or business in India.

"The leadership advantage is backed by strong macro- economic stability," he said while adding that the economy has moved from low inflation to high growth, from fiscal rectitude to prudential current account management, and from one of the highest savings rates in the world to one of the fastest rates of economic growth.

He said that from insolvency code to NPA resolution, the present government has undertaken a fundamental overhaul of India's financial infrastructure while consolidating and strengthening the banking sector.

"But the greatest achievement of the government lies in the area of financial inclusion, thus setting in motion a growth dynamic for financial intermediaries which is unprecedented in its scope and size," he added.

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GST will be India's 'economic freedom': Anil Ambani - Economic Times

GOP senators call for McConnell to shorten August recess – Politico

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Sen. David Perdue, R-Ga., walks to the elevator for a meeting with President-elect Donald Trump at Trump Tower, Friday, Dec. 2, 2016, in New York. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) | AP Photo

The GOP's long-stalled agenda is boiling over.

A group of 10 senators is sending a letter to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) on Friday morning asking for the GOP leader to shorten the August recess or cancel it altogether if the party does not make significant headway on its priorities in July, according to a copy obtained by POLITICO. The letter comes right after Congress left Thursday and scattered across the country for a July 4 recess.

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Spearheaded by Sen. David Perdue of Georgia, the bloc of 10 senators said the five-week break should be on the table if Republicans don't make progress on repealing Obamacare, passing a budget, averting a government shutdown at the end of September, avoiding a debt default and get to their top priority: Reforming the tax code.

"Our current Senate calendar shows only 33 potential working days remaining before the end of the fiscal year. This does not appear to give us enough time to adequately address the issues that demand immediate attention. Therefore, we respectfully request that you consider truncating, if not completely foregoing, the scheduled August state work period, allowing us more time to complete our work." the senators wrote.

In addition, to Perdue, the letter is signed by Sens. Steve Daines of Montana, Joni Ernst of Iowa, John Kennedy of Louisiana, Mike Lee of Utah, James Lankford of Oklahoma, Mike Rounds of South Dakota, Luther Strange of Alabama, Thom Tillis of North Carolina and Dan Sullivan of Alaska. The group includes many of the most recently elected GOP senators, a group hungry for accomplishment.

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The House Freedom Caucus similarly asked House Speaker Paul Ryan to cancel the August break.

The asks to cancel the cherished vacation, when D.C. is at its most steamy and uncomfortable, shows how frustrated Republicans are becoming after their initial plans to quickly repeal and replace Obamacare have hit a rut and backed up the rest of their agenda. The GOP has still not found success in its health reform efforts, and a massive convergence of fiscal deadlines is awaiting the party in September that will further delay tax reform. The party appears extremely unlikely to pass the 12 annual spending bills and has no apparent plan to deal with the debt ceiling, which is expected to hit in late September or early October.

"The stakes are much higher this year. We simply cannot afford to lose any additional time in resolving these issues when tax reform is hanging in the balance. Robust change to our tax code is our single most important economic growth tool, and there is already growing anticipation for us to act," the senators said. "Failure to deliver could have devastating economic consequences."

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GOP senators call for McConnell to shorten August recess - Politico

States Need Freedom From DC To Transform Their Medicaid … – The Federalist

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Theres often a disconnect between Washington and the rest of the country, and Medicaid reform is no exception. The House of Representatives last month passed a bill including major Medicaid reformseither a per capita spending cap or a block grant for states. The new presidential administration has pledged its support for added state flexibility for running Medicaid programs.

All that sounds nice, you might be thinking, but what does it meanboth for states, and for Medicaid recipients themselves? A recent paper I compiled for the Wyoming Liberty Group provides some sense of what a reformed Medicaid program might look like. The overhaul being contemplated in Washingtonthe largest in more than half a centurywould, if done correctly, give states flexibility to modernize Medicaid and provide better care to patients, which could end up saving taxpayers money.

Medicaid reform means better care for patients. It means states can choose the best care options for beneficiaries without worrying about checking bureaucratic boxes. That freedom will allow more elderly and disabled beneficiaries to stay in their homes, rather than moving to nursing institutionsthe preferred option for most seniors, and a more economical one.

A series of reforms in Rhode Island begun nearly a decade ago provide some sense of what Medicaid transformation can accomplish. Nonpartisan analysts found that Rhode Islands reforms saved tens of millions of dollars, while improving members access to more appropriate services. Providing better care not only represents good policyit can also save taxpayers money.

Medicaid reform could mean new efforts to coordinate care. Recent innovations from the private sectorsuch as payment bundles for all the costs of a procedurewould give providers more incentives to provide effective care the first time, while publicly releasing de-identified patient data would give providers the analytic tools they need to become more efficient.

Medicaid reform also means more consumer-oriented options for patients. It involves giving patients the tools to save money for taxpayers, then sharing some of those savings with them. Whether providing incentives for healthy behaviorssimilar to the Safeway model popular with many large employersor encouraging patients to shop around for non-emergency procedures like MRIs, these incentives can present a win-win proposition to both patients and taxpayers.

A reformed Medicaid program means providing links to employment, and employment-based health insurance, for eligible beneficiaries. Work requirements and job training programs will encourage individuals to develop translatable skills that will improve their employment prospects, and ultimately benefit the economy. Encouraging patients to accept employment-based insurance wherever offered, and transforming Medicaid so it more closely resembles employer plans, will create smoother transitions for beneficiaries.

Finally, a reformed Medicaid program would serve as a wise steward of taxpayer dollars. Enhanced eligibility checks and increased asset recovery efforts would preserve scarce taxpayer resources for the vulnerable patients who need them most. With improper payments in the program having risen by nearly 25 percent to more than $36 billion last fiscal year, state Medicaid programs need the resources and incentives to ferret out this waste and fraud and return it to taxpayers.

While Medicaid serves an important purpose for the needy populations for which it was designed, the program needs updating to respond to twenty-first-century medicine. Moreover, with the size of Medicaid nearly tripling as a percentage of state budgets over the past three decades, an unreformed Medicaid program will continue to crowd out other important state spending priorities like law enforcement, education, and transportation.

Medicaid reform may well take different forms in different states. Wyomings large rural population impacts its health system in numerous ways. Managed care has yet to come to Medicaid, and social isolation in rural communities helps explain why Wyoming has an above-average percentage of aged beneficiaries in nursing homes. These unique characteristics mean that the solutions that work for Medicaid recipients in Cheyenne may not work for those in Charlotte, and vice versa.

But given freedom from Washingtonfreedom that should be forthcoming under the new administrationevery state can transform its Medicaid program. All it takes is federal flexibility, and for policy-makers to embrace a vision for a modern Medicaid system. With a comprehensive waiver, Wyomingand every other statecan transform and revitalize Medicaid. Its time to embrace the opportunity and do just that.

Jacobs is founder and CEO of Juniper Research Group, a policy consulting firm based in Washington. He's on Twitter @chrisjacobshc.

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States Need Freedom From DC To Transform Their Medicaid ... - The Federalist

Centrist Republicans mobilize against draft GOP budget – Politico

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Tuesday Group co-chairman Charlie Dent is gathering signatures on a letter asking Speaker Paul Ryan to intervene in House Budget Chairwoman Diane Blacks plan to cut $200 billion in mandatory spending from the GOP budget. | Getty

Centrist House Republicans are lining up to oppose a draft GOP budget aimed at curbing entitlement spending and threatening to vote against the plan if they don't get a bipartisan deal to increase spending caps.

Tuesday Group co-chairman Charlie Dent (R-Pa.) is gathering signatures on a letter asking Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) to intervene in House Budget Chairwoman Diane Blacks plan to cut $200 billion in mandatory spending in the GOP budget.

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The Tuesday Group letter which sources say has about 20 signatories so far warns that the Tennessee Republicans proposal is not practical and could imperil tax reform, according to a draft of the letter obtained by POLITICO. The letter also encourages GOP leaders to work with Democrats to reach a budget agreement setting higher spending levels for fiscal 2018 something the letter suggests could be paired with a vote to raise the debt ceiling.

Without such a deal, some moderates may not support the budget, according to the letter.

[A]bsent such a bipartisan, bicameral agreement, we are reticent to support any budget resolution on the House floor, the letter reads.

If all 20 moderates truly vote against such a budget, that's nearly enough to block it from passage. House Republicans can afford to lose only 23 Republican votes when they bring their fiscal blueprint to the floor. And leaders know a number of conservatives will likely never support the proposal, which they think doesn't go far enough in taking an axe to federal spending.

The centrists pushback is the latest obstacle for Black, who has struggled for weeks to unveil a budget that all parts of the Republican Conference can support.

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Eager to appeal to conservatives and use the GOPs majorities to curb spending, Black crafted a fiscal blueprint that would instruct other committees to roll back spending on things like food stamps, farm subsidies, housing allowances and veterans programs. She wants to use the budgets procedural powers to fast-track those cuts alongside a GOP tax package later in the year.

But the chairmen who would be tasked with making such cuts have balked. Black has already lowered her targeted cuts from $500 billion to $200 billion.

Even that lower figure worries the moderates, who are also concerned the spending cuts will complicate tax reform efforts.

While fiscal responsibility and long-term budget stability is essential, requiring hundreds of billions as much as $200 billion by some accounts in budget savings from mandatory spending programs in the reconciliation package is not practical and will make enacting tax reform even more difficult than it already will be, the draft letter reads.

Some traditional Republicans are stunned by the centrists' opposition.

"If you run on any kind of Republican, fiscal responsibly ideas, if not this, what? asked Republican Study Committee Chairman Mark Walker (R-N.C.). "If you always say, We cant cut here, we cant trim here, and stymie this, then what do we do? Keep on spending and taking peoples tax dollars?"

Black received some good news Thursday, however. She reached a deal with a key GOP chairman who aggressively opposed her mandatory cuts: House Agriculture Chairman Mike Conaway. The Texas Republican told reporters that hed settled with Black on a savings target, though he wouldnt get into specifics.

"As far as Ag Committee and Budget, we're done," he said.

Hard-line conservatives in the House Freedom Caucus, meanwhile, are arguing that those $200 billion worth of cuts may not be enough. They want even more mandatory savings, for fear that a bipartisan budget deal like the kind the Tuesday Group is calling for will be reached later this year to raise spending caps.

Theres going to be a big spending increase in discretionary spending, said House Freedom Caucus leader Jim Jordan (R-Ohio). And were going to save only $150 billion to $200 billion over 10 years?

That does seem to be the direction Congress is moving. In early May, more than 141 House Republican defense hawks asked GOP leadership in a letter to raise spending caps on the Pentagon.

Tuesday Group members, well aware that any spending agreement will require eight Senate Democrats to overcome a filibuster, know any deal will likely mean increases for nondefense spending programs championed by Democrats. They also know that lawmakers will need to raise the debt ceiling in the coming months, a painful vote for Republicans that a few dozen House GOP centrists will more than likely have to carry over the threshold with Democrats.

Some members argue GOP leaders should create a single spending and debt limit package, and just get it over with. At least thats exactly what Dent has been telling leadership and Trump administration officials for the past few months.

I said, Take this back to the White House: We need to do a bipartisan, bicameral budget agreement, and Id put the debt ceiling in, and Id do it before August, Dent said in a brief interview Thursday. "Its just a matter of when. Im pushing for sooner rather than later.

The idea has also gained traction in the Senate, where GOP insiders say debt ceiling legislation will likely originate. But knowing their more conservative conference, House leaders have avoided the topic at all costs, saying they're focused solely on a budget and health care.

The Tuesday Groups letter, depending on how many signatories are included, could provide GOP leaders some cover should they decide to engage in deal-making with Democrats. However, such a move would invite conservative resistance from the Freedom Caucus as well as traditional GOP leadership allies.

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District to pay Richards’ health insurance for next three fiscal years — Cost to district next school year is over $22K – Morning Times

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WAVERLY -- As part of Superintendent Randy Richards' amended contract with the Waverly Central School District, the district will pay the retiring school official's health insurance in full until 2020.

A copy of Richards' amended contract was provided to the Morning Times following the filing of a Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) request.

The new language calls for the district to "provide to the superintendent family health insurance for the 2017-2018, 2018-2019 and 2019-2020 fiscal years."

The amendment notes that the benefits will match those offered to the district's other administrators in active service.

The health insurance plan offered by the district is the "MVP Option A" offered by the NY44 Health Benefits Plan Trust.

According to the original contract between Richards and the district, the superintendent would be responsible for 15 percent of the health insurance premium, while the district picked up the remaining 85 percent.

However, the amended contract calls for the district to cover 100 percent of insurance's premium for the next three years, according to school board President Parvin Mensch.

According to district Business Manager Kathy Rote, that translates to a cost of $22,584 for the next school year.

"That's the only solid number we have right now," she said Tuesday.

If the cost of health insurance were to rise 7 percent in each of the following two fiscal years -- which Rote stressed was only a guess -- it would translate to a cost of approximately $24,000 and nearly $26,000 for those respective school years.

Richards will not receive any other benefits, such as salary, as part of his retirement, Mensch added.

The superintendent's retirement, which is set to go into effect on June 30, was announced June 15 after a lengthy executive session by the school board.

Richards still had a year remaining on his original contract after being awarded a one-year extension in November 2016.

Mensch stated that Richards' decision to retire came after it was unexpectedly discovered that the superintendent was eligible for an early retirement due to his past military service.

GST BOCES is currently searching for the district's new superintendent.

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District to pay Richards' health insurance for next three fiscal years -- Cost to district next school year is over $22K - Morning Times

SC Foster Care Debacle – FITSNews

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EPIC FAIL

Back in September this website reported on the initial failure of a new foster home licensing unit run under the auspices of the scandal-scarred South CarolinaDepartment of Social Services (SCDSS).

Theunit a centerpiece of then-governor Nikki Haleys administration intendedto license 1,500 new foster families in the Palmetto State by the end of the 2016-2017 fiscal year.

That deadline arrives tomorrow

How did SCDSS do? Not well although lets be honest, considering this agencys long history of abysmal outcomesdid anyone expect them to hit the mark?

Of course not

Sources within the agency tell us new foster home licensing fell well shy of the 1,500-mark. In fact, one source told us they would be surprised if the agency managed to license 250 new homes under the program announced by the ex-governor.

Lawmakers familiar with the program told us privately that SCDSS wound up far below the original goal set by Haley although in fairness one legislator acknowledged the former governors target was unrealistic.

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Translation? This was a political promise designed to generate positive media headlines not something Haley ever intended to actually do.

According to the SCDSS website, there are currently 1,544 foster homes in the Palmetto State and nearly 3,000 children in need of placement. More relevant to our reporting, documents obtained from sources at the agency showa shortage of 1,347 homes in regular care and another 200 in therapeutic care. Add those numbers together and you are looking at roughly the same number of new homes Haleys licensing program was supposed to approve.

Despite multiple invitations to offer comment or provide information on a host of recent stories, SCDSS has consistentlyrefused to acknowledge this websites existence which we suppose we canunderstand. Weve been very hard on the agency over the years, so its not surprising that its leaders are not especially eager to accommodate our requests.

If we do not hear back from the agency by the end of the week, though, we will submit a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request seeking specificdata related to this program.

Of further interest? SCDSS seems to be scrambling in an effort to pick up the pieces related to this failed program. According to an internal agency communicationobtained by this website, the new licensing unit is being broken up into regions and every region is getting (its own) placement center.

What a mess not to mention an expensive internal restructuring job.

SCDSS received $713.5 million in the budget for the fiscal year that ends tomorrow (June 30). Thats an increase of a little over three percent from the previous fiscal years budget of $692.1 million. In the coming fiscal year beginning July 1, the agency is slated to receive $734.6 million a roughly identical percentage increase.

None of those totals include the estimated $1.3 billion the agency doles out annually in food stamps, either. That particular line item was surreptitiouslyremoved from the state budget by lawmakers back in 2014.

SCDSS was an unmitigated disaster under Haley most notably as it related to multiple instances in which vulnerable children wererepeatedly placed in abusive homes. But the agencys failure has been much bigger and broader than that even after the former governorwas forced to fire her first rock star agency director.

Stay tuned we plan on continuing to investigate this latest SCDSS debacle and providing our readers with as much information as we are able to uncover.

Got something youd like to say in response to one of our stories? In addition to our always lively comments section (below), please feel free to submit your own guest column or letter to the editor via-email HERE or via our tip-line HERE

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SC Foster Care Debacle - FITSNews

Celebrating Independence – Jewish Link of New Jersey

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For the history buff and obedient American patriot Independence Day means commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. For many, Independence Day means the start of summer season. Whether that is met with joy because the kids are being sent off to camp, or whether its cause for celebration because you get to relocate to a bungalow colony full of summer friends and memories; or whether you get a little bit of reprieve from your normal all year-round working schedule it is certainly a time that is appreciated by many.. Independence is certainly something that everyone can appreciate.

It is also a milestone in the calendar where one can realize that half the year has gone by, and its a good time to revisit financial considerations that one might be trying to achieve. When it comes to finances however, there is no unanimous definition of what financial independence is. For some, financial independence is achieved when your passive income streams cover all your living expenses. For others, it means not having to work another day of their life. Some, wont feel financially independent until they are completely free from the constraints of debts. For many, financial independence might simply mean having the ability to make life decisions with money not being a determining factor. As you can see, it means to different things to different people - and certainly becomes a moving target with the different stages of ones life.

When it comes to homeownership, the resounding consensus that I hear from almost all my clients is that their goal of owning a home is to have no mortgage whatsoever. A lofty goal indeed. People assume that I am biased because I am in the mortgage business, but I quickly explain that I receive no financial benefit whether someone maintains or pays off their mortgage whatsoever. In fact, when I further discuss financial considerations, debts, income, cash flow analysis, retirement goals, life plans, investment strategies, reserve funds, and the like most people are shocked to learn that a mortgage is perhaps the safest, cheapest, and most lucrative debt out there.

There are many examples that support this theory, but for the purposes of this short article I will touch on a few core items. First, the a very common misconception of Building Equity. Everyone wants to build equity, and thats typically the main financial reason that drives renters to buy a new house. By definition, having a big mortgage is counter to the premise of building equity because the bigger the mortgage, the lower the equity. Ric Edelman, a financial advisor whose principals of finance I very much agree with and concur, has much to say on the topic of mortgage debt. Edelman is widely regarded as one of the nations top financial advisors, having been named in 2016 among the countrys Top 10 Wealth Advisors by many acclaimed publications and organizations.

Ric has a great illustration that speaks to the core misconception of equity building. Lets say someone were to buy a house for $300,000, and get a $250,000 mortgage at 4% fixed over 30 years. By making regular mortgage payments, the loans balance in 20 years will be just $117,886. The theory is, that equity grows as you pay off the mortgage and thereby the faster you pay off the mortgage, the faster your equity will grow. But this logic fails to acknowledge that this is not the only way you will build equity in your house. Thats because your house is almost certain to grow in value through appreciation. If that house rises in value at a modest rate of 3% per year, it will be worth $541,833 in 20 years! Youll have nearly a quarter million dollars in new equity even if your principal balance didnt budge. That is the real objection as to why renting is a waste of money.

Another common misconception about the financial independence of mortgages is that borrowers are always looking to minimize interest expenses. Obviously no debt whatsoever is a remarkable goal for everybody, but not very likely for the average citizen. As many know, a mortgage interest is tax-deductible, and thereby tax-favorable, as Edelman likes to say. Specifically, if youre in the 35% tax bracket, every dollar you pay in mortgage interest saves you 35 cents in federal income taxes. Many of the savings and deductions apply on state income taxes level as well. Say youre in the 33% tax bracket and you get a 5% mortgage, the true interest rate on that loan is really 3.35% after taxes. To put that into a visual perspective, if you invest money and earn 5%, your profits are taxed at only 20%, and your after-tax profit is 4.00%. Thus, even if your investments earn no more than what you pay for your loan, youre still making a profit!

It is very challenging to truly relate fully how a mortgage does not impact financial independence, and in fact will more often than not if utilized properly will be able to assist someone to achieve their financial objectives much faster and more lucratively if utilized properly. I love watching peoples faces when I am able to show them how so it truly brings great satisfaction to my work. Its certainly worth a phone call. Special shout out to the Ciment Family!

By Shmuel Shayowitz

Shmuel Shayowitz (NMLS#19871) is President and Chief Lending Officer at Approved Funding, a privately held local mortgage banker and direct lender. Approved Funding is a mortgage company offering competitive interest rates as well specialty niche programs on all types of Residential and Commercial properties. Shmuel has over 20 years of industry experience including licenses and certifications as certified mortgage underwriter, residential review appraiser, licensed real estate agent, and direct FHA specialized underwriter. He can be reached via email at [emailprotected]

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Celebrating Independence - Jewish Link of New Jersey

These 5% dividend yields could help you win financial independence – AOL UK

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Investing in companies with the ability to deliver rising dividends over many years can be a powerful way to build wealth. Share price gains often follow dividend growth, creating impressive total returns.

What's more difficult is to find companies with high yields that still have growth potential. In today's articleI'm going to take a look at two very different dividend growth stocks, each of which offers a dividend yield of about 5%.

Pub group Greene King (LSE: GNK) appears to be making a decent job of running a fairly traditional business. Sales rose by 6.9% to 2,073m last year, while the group's underlying operating profit climbed 4.9% to 392.2m.

Adjusted earnings per share were 1.3% higher at 69.9p, while the dividend was lifted 3.6% to 32.05p per share for a yield of 4.7%. Return on capital employed, a useful measure of profit for a business with lots of fixed assets, was unchanged at 9.4%. That's respectable, if not spectacular.

Greene King shares have traded unchanged since the figures were released this morning, but there was some bad news. The group's operating margin fell by 0.3% to 18.6%, due to cost pressures and the brand conversion costs resulting from the acquisition of Spirit pubs.

The firm was also forced to book an impairment charge of 58.6m against the book value of its pubs, due to "changes in the local trading environment". A further 34.9m of impairment was recorded against sites that were closed or sold last year. These suggest to me that market conditions remain tough for pubs.

However, Greene King's underlying business appears to be trading well and delivering fairly stable profits. For investors seeking income, I think that the forecast P/E of 9.7 and prospective yield of 4.8% could be an attractive long-term entry point.

Air Partner (LSE: AIR) may not be a name you're familiar with. It's a specialist aviation services company which provides charter services to governments, corporate customers and high net worth individuals. The group also includes an aircraft re-marketing business and consultancy services.

The firm is listed in the FTSE Fledgling index and currently has a market cap of just 61m. But it's not a fly-by-night newcomer as it was founded in 1970 and has been public since 1989.

Recent performance has been strong. Underlying pre-tax profit rose by 17% to 5.1m last year, while underlying earnings rose by 10% to 6.5p per share. Shareholders enjoyed a 7.2% dividend hike last year, giving a total payout of 5.2p per share. That's equivalent to a 4.6% yield at the current share price of 114p.

Air Partner has made several acquisitions over the last few years. These are helping to broaden the range of related services it offers and may deliver more stable profit growth. Although the company's profits are likely to slump during recessions, its long history suggests to me that this business has staying power.

Analysts covering the stock expect underlying earnings to rise by 20% to 7.8p per share this year, putting the stock on a forecast P/E of 15 with a prospective yield of 4.7%. I believe this business could be a long-term growth story, and is worth a closer look.

Investing in stocks such as Air Partner and Greene King could help you build a stock portfolio to fund your retirement. But if you really want to beat the market and retire early, I believe you need a clear plan.

In The Foolish Guide To Financial Independence, our investment expert Mark Bishop explains how he believes you shouldinvest to maximise your chance of an early retirement. Mark's tips include stock suggestions and ideas to help boost your saving power.

This exclusive report is free and without obligation. To download your copy today, click here now.

Roland Head owns shares of Air Partner. The Motley Fool UK has no position in any of the shares mentioned. Views expressed on the companies mentioned in this article are those of the writer and therefore may differ from the official recommendations we make in our subscription services such as Share Advisor, Hidden Winners and Pro. Here at The Motley Fool we believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors.

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These 5% dividend yields could help you win financial independence - AOL UK

Edenia: a lost Yiddish utopia for Ukraine and its afterlife in modern-day Kharkiv – The Calvert Journal

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At one point in Kalman Zingmans 1918 Yiddish novella In Edenia, a City of the Future, the protagonist Zalman Kindishman stands admiring a monument on the titular citys Freedom Square:

A young girl with an ardent glance, her hair in loose curls, stepping with her feet on a snake, which is completely wrapped around her. In one hand she holds a blood-red flag and in the other a black one. On the bottom of the red side is a bas-relief depicting high barricades, flattened faces a war is going on. There is also a bas-relief on the other side, under the black flag, of the victims after the war, of those who were shot: a Russian, a Ukrainian, a Pole, a Jew, a Georgian, et cetera all dead. The inscription reads: They fought together, they died together.

Edenia is a utopian future version of Kharkiv in eastern Ukraine, projected forward from the 1910s into the 40s. Now theres another war going on nearby, this time between Russia and Ukraine; that, and the sickening disjunction between Zingmans Yiddish fantasia and what actually befell the regions Jews in the Second World War, might seem to discredit the authors vision of cooperation and reconciliation.

For Russian-American artist Yevgeniy Fiks and American-Ukrainian curator Larissa Babij, however, the peculiar world of Zingmans Edenia is worth remembering. Together, they have created a new exhibition named after his novella, currently on display in Kharkivs Yermilov Centre. In the novella, Kindishman visits Edenias art museum; Fiks and Babij have invited an international group of artists the participants include Babi Badalov (Azerbaijan), Ruth Jenrbekova and Maria Vilkovisky (Kazakhstan), Aikaterini Gegisian(Greece/Armenia), Haim Sokol (Russia/Israel) and Nikita Kadan (Ukraine) to contribute artworks towards a reconstruction of this imaginary space. In the process, they are posing many of the same questions of multiculturalism and futurism that occupied Zingman almost a century ago. What might a better future for Ukraine look like? And what position might religious and ethnic minorities hold within it?

Utopianor futuristic Yiddish literature is not common, Fiks tells me. Most often Yiddish literature eithertalks about the present or remembers the past. In Zingmans text, Zalman Kindishman comes to Edenia to visit his old friend Yugendboym. Here, there is no money every citizen has their material needs provided for. National communities Jews, Ukrainians and others live in complete harmony and are free to set their own laws. There are flying aerotrains, an artificially regulated climate, abundant gardens with children celebrating Jewish holidays by their thousands. Edenia is not a Jewish-only city, but one where questions of anti-Semitism have been superseded.

Zingmans vision of a peaceful existence for Ukraines Jews clashes horribly with the countrys history. The post-revolutionary, short-lived Ukrainian Peoples Republic (1917-1921) was the first modern state to have a Ministry for Jewish Affairs, and Yiddish was made a state language. But pogroms continued unabated, and between 1918, when Zingmans book was written, and 1920, at least 31,000 Jews were killed in Ukraine the real number may be as high as 100,000. The great majority died at the hands of nationalists and anti-Communists, many of whom saw Bolshevism as a sinister Semitic plot. Even greater horrors were to come in the Second World War, when the country was occupied by the Nazis and Ukrainian collaborators. An estimated one million Jews were murdered in Ukraine during the Holocaust; 70 per cent of the countrys Jewish population was killed or displaced.

Personally, I feel that the Yiddish question is preciselythe question that should be raised when we talk about the present and future relationship between Ukraine and Russia, Fiks says.Perhaps the silence of Yiddish in the streetsof both Ukraine and Russia, if acknowledgedand contemplated, criesthe need, the hope for a better world, a word of multiculturalism and autonomy. For Babij, this is a question of both national and personal significance. While working on this exhibition I could not help but notice how the site of multi-ethnic or inter-national coexistence has shifted to the scale of the individual, she says. Hence the exhibition acts not only as a reminder of Ukraines rich multicultural landscape of the past, but also as an attempt to present and enact a more complex understanding of cultural identity.

What might a better future for Ukraine look like? And what position might religious and ethnic minorities hold within it?

The question of Ukraines past and its impact on the future is a live one; in Fikss words, the country is reinventing itself withforces of multiculturalism on the one side and extreme nationalism on the other in a state of constant flux. In its attempts to wrench itself free from Russian influence and plant its feet firmly in the western European community, post-Maidan Ukraine has not always trod delicately: from the controversial programme of decommunisation to the nationalist historical retrofitting promoted by Volodymyr Viatrovychs Institute of National Memory and the uncritical public lionisation of wartime figures like nationalist militia leader Stepan Bandera. The reappraisal of Zingmans novella and an attention to Ukraines historical hybridity is timely, even if, as Babij admits, the Kharkiv exhibition represents a relatively small, bounded space.

One of the most intriguing aspects of Zingmans work is its combination of futuristic technologies with a lingering, old world devotion to eastern European Yiddish cultural tradition. Edenia is dotted with memorials exalting Jewish artists and writers: Yitskhok Peretz, Roza Fayngold, Sholem Aleichem, El Lissitsky. Its citizens are avid readers to the extent that the literary scholar Professor Shvartsvald is treated like a rock star, his lectures on Peretz overflowing onto the street.

El Lissitsky

Yitskhok Peretz (second left), a great of early twentieth-century Yiddish literature

A page from El Lissitskys illustrated version of the Yiddish folk tale Had Gadya

A page from El Lissitskys illustrated version of the Yiddish folk tale Had Gadya

For Babij, Zingman maintains a separation between the realms of everyday activity, where technological advancements have increased the comfort and ease of residents lives, and the sphere of culture. Its interesting to contrast this vision with that of the early Soviet avant-garde, which envisioned art and its formal possibilities as a means to transform out-dated ways of living, to shape and prepare society for new forms of organisation, often through a violent break with and obliteration of past cultural traditions.

The exhibition itself jumps across time and space, its contributing artists turning their hands to themes of migration, religion and repression. Curandi Katz embroiders textiles with the borders of territories unrecognised by international law including Russia-annexed Crimea, an open wound in the Ukrainian national psyche. Ruth Jenrbekova and Maria Vilkovisky have created a video guide to their own utopian projection: a world in which the Central Asian states have formed into a federation of autonomous tribes. Perhaps the most pointed commentary on the erasure and resurfacing of history is provided by Nikita Kadans Viewers (2016). The great Constructivist designer Alexander Rodchenko produced a series of portraits of Soviet leaders in Uzbekistan in 1934; when these figures were repressed a few years later, Rodchenko blacked out their faces in his copy of the album. Kadan reproduces these disfigured portraits, labelling them the faces of the spirits of history History (in other words, the accumulation of ruins) happens under their watchful gaze.

Nikita Kadan, Viewers (2016) (left); Repetition of Forgetting (2016) (right). Image: Sergey Solonskij

Photo-collage of exhibition view (with Nikita Kadans Viewers) and Yiddish text from In Edenia, a City of the Future. Image: Sergey Solonskij

Yuri Leiderman, Self-portrait in Ukrainian Costume (2013). Image: Sergey Solonskij

Haim Sokol, Testimony (2015). Image: Sergey Solonskij

Zingmans novella ends abruptly with Zalman Kindishmans mysterious disappearance and death. The Jewish culture Zingman so cherished was brutally cut down a few decades later. Many Ukrainians are now no clearer as to the future they are headed towards than their predecessors of the early twentieth century. What place does utopian thinking occupy in the modern nation state? I think the term utopia, especially after the events of the twentieth century, is loaded and politicised, Fiks concludes. I think hoping and seeking happiness is a very basic, very human thing. But we must be very wary and very conscious about our methods. For Babij, Ukraine today is carried away by visions of a better future, whether in the shape of an idealised image of the European Union or the soothing promises of a strong, authoritarian neighbouring ruler or the hope that current Ukrainian politicians will miraculously change the way this country has been run for the past 25 years. Hence the importance of history: the past is really the only thing we can look at and talk about concretely.

Edenia is governed by two sects. The Heavenly Ones renounce all earthly pleasures, all the enjoyments that life can bring. They maintain that there is an even higher world, a more beautiful one. The second sect are the Earthly Ones, who say: enrich and improve life, so that heaven can be on earth. This practical, materialist message is what is picked up and translated for modern Ukraine in Fikss and Babijs exhibition. Our best bet might be to follow the advice given by Yitskhok Peretz, one of the Yiddish writers celebrated in Edenia, in one of his poems: Dont think the world is a wasteland created/For wolves and for foxes, for spoils and for booty Oh, dont think the world is a wasteland.

In Edenia, a City of the Future is on display at the Yermilov Centre in Kharkiv until 9 July.

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Edenia: a lost Yiddish utopia for Ukraine and its afterlife in modern-day Kharkiv - The Calvert Journal

Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2017 THE END, THE END, THE END – The Edinburgh Reporter

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A new international multimedia ensemble from seven countries and across America ritualizes their exile experience in the United States. The result is a defiant theatrical collage that enlists the audience in a revolution for a new utopia.

Facing end-of-the-world paranoia in America and drowning in media, the exiles labour through the act of remembering and performing. To survive America, they must constantly revise their personal histories and ideologies as the alleged other. To combat entropy, to find home, to discover utopia, to believe in anything at all, the ensemble grotesquely re-enacts childhood memories and channels political superpowers.

The blood-pumping rhythm of pop iconography intersects with intensely intimate storytelling, and cuts to operatic manifestos of political prophets, creating an explosive performance collage that defies borders, genre and time. A rich array of multimedia platforms headed by motion-sensor video and real-time light art partners the athleticism and sensuality of the performing bodies.

Venue 13, August 5-26 (Not 14, 21) 17:30, Tickets 8/10

Tickets here.

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Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2017 THE END, THE END, THE END - The Edinburgh Reporter

New Star Trek series will abandon Gene Roddenberry’s cardinal rule – Ars Technica

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Enlarge / Sonequa Martin-Green plays protagonist Michael Burnham, first officer of the U.S.S. Shenzhou, on new CBS All Access series Star Trek: Discovery.

Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry had a lot of strict rules for writers on his shows. Some, like the requirement that both female and male officers be called "sir," were thrown out a while ago (Kate Mulgrew, who played Captain Kathryn Janeway, wanted to be called "ma'am"). Now, with forthcoming series Star Trek: Discovery, we're about to see one of Roddenberrys most cherished rules bite the dust.

When Roddenberry first framed his ideas for the Star Trek universe, he wanted to be sure that writers would emphasize the Utopian aspects of future life in the Federation. Some of that Utopianism was hardwired into the show's basic premise, in which money, war, and racial discrimination are things of the distant past. But Roddenberry wasn't satisfied with thathe wanted characters whose behavior was exemplary, too.

After decades of complaints about these constraints from producers, Star Trek: Discovery showrunners Aaron Harberts and Gretchen J. Berg have decided to abandon Utopia for something they consider a little more realistic. On this streaming series, debuting on CBS All Access this September, our protagonists won't always be nice. Their behavior won't be worthy of emulation, and their conflicts will get out of control.

"The thing we're taking from Roddenberry is how we solve those conflicts, Harberts told Entertainment Weekly. "So we do have our characters in conflict, we do have them struggling with each other, but it's about how they find a solution and work through their problems."

Harberts and Berg are also chucking the "planet/alien/giant space object of the week" format that's long been a staple of Star Trek storytelling. Instead, there will be a seasonal arc, with character-driven plotlines. You can expect something like The Expanse or Battlestar Galactica, in which multiple plots play out over the entire season, rather than self-contained adventures each week.

There's risk in doing this, because one of Star Trek's main lures has always been its relentless optimism even when things go pretty dark (see, for example, Deep Space Nine). Plenty of science fiction franchises already deal in gritty realism, and it's possible that audiences won't take to the idea that Star Trek is now one of them. That said, conflict will always be part of human life. What could be more Utopian than telling stories about people overcoming genuine, entrenched conflict rather than avoiding conflict altogether?

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New Star Trek series will abandon Gene Roddenberry's cardinal rule - Ars Technica

Oceania Cruises Recognizes ‘Youngest World Cruisers’ As 4- And 6 … – PR Newswire (press release)

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Sailing with 30-year-old mom Drielle D'Amore Nogueira and 32-year-old dad Diego Castilho Nogueira, the sister and brother are about to complete Oceania's 180-day Around the Worldvoyage, which departed Miami on January 6, 2017, calling in 36 countries on six continents. The ship returns to Miami onJuly 6, where the family will disembark for the last time and return to their home in Brazil.

Together, the Nogueira family is dispelling the myth that long sailings are solely for retirees and mature guests. As a teacher, Drielle says that the education from such an extended adventure is an incredible way to learn about world history, culture and people. And, for her, "The greatest achievement undoubtedly is English language skills." In regards to how her children are finding life on the ship, she said, "They have adapted to it all very easily and willingly and are interested in new stories. This [experience] will definitely make a difference when studying, learning and understanding matters in school. How much they have learned on this trip will be uncovered in the future, when some subject will remind us all of what we saw and lived during this time."

Diego added, "It's fantastic how children are sponges absorbing everything around themThe diversity encountered (on this cruise) will certainly help them grow with less prejudices because they met so many people from different cultures."

And what did the children like best about their journey? Henrique said, "I like the onboard games you can play with adults and my dad and my mom, and I love (the daily) teatime! I like to visit the different countries, but sometimes I wanted to stay longer and we don'thave time. But it's cool; I already know the places that I want to go back to! Every time that we leave (for extended excursions) I really like returning to the ship and hearing the crew say, 'Welcome Back!' I love my house on the ship! I have a high bed that opens and closes and that's awesome!"

Lorenna, who turned 4 while on the voyage, said, "I like to go off the ship and see the cities. I love the chef when he makes brigadeiro (aBrazilian pastry) for me like for my birthday! I loved my party birthday on the ship."

How did mom and dad keep their kids entertained for 180-days? Diego said, "We adults have the idea that kids love to have toys, the more elaborate the better, but this journey also made us (parents) realize that actually children just want attention. Without any specific activity, if we give attention telling a story, painting with them, involving them around the environment, in the end they are just happy with that."

Drielle added that their stateroom has been a place for play, family time and art. "We have the children's drawings on the walls of the places that we have been; they show how much they are learning with the whole experience. We love this experience and think it should be mandatory for every human being, as personal growth."

For more information about Oceania Cruises, call 855-OCEANIA (855-623-2642) or contact a professional travel agent.

About Oceania CruisesFeaturing a fleet of intimately luxurious ships, Oceania Cruises offers an unrivaled vacation experience renowned for the finest cuisine at sea and destination-rich itineraries spanning the globe. Seasoned world travelers are drawn to Oceania Cruises' expertly crafted voyages, which call on more than 370 ports across Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia, New Zealand, the South Pacific and the Americas. Spacious and elegant accommodations aboard the 684-guest Regatta, Insignia, Nautica, and Sirena and the 1,250-guest Marina and Riviera invite guests to explore the world in unparalleled comfort and style.

To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/oceania-cruises-recognizes-youngest-world-cruisers-as-4--and-6-year-olds-complete-180-day-around-the-world-voyage-300482143.html

SOURCE Oceania Cruises

http://oceaniacruises.com

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Oceania Cruises Recognizes 'Youngest World Cruisers' As 4- And 6 ... - PR Newswire (press release)

Nyika retains Oceania title | Radio New Zealand News – Radio New Zealand

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The Hamilton heavyweight David Nyika has successfully defended his Oceania boxing title with a unanimous points decision win over Australian Jason Whateley on the Gold Coast.

NZ heavyweight boxer David Nyika Photo: PHOTOSPORT

It's Nyika's third straight victory over the Victorian and was sweet redemption after missing out on the Rio Olympic Games in 2016.

Nyika burst on to the scene at just 18, when he won gold as a light heavyweight at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games three years ago, and now feels he's completed the step up.

"I'm a fully fledged heavyweight now, which has given me a lot of confidence when I can sit and tangle with the likes of Jason, who's a good fighter."

The result at the Oceania Boxing Championships means the 21-year-old has qualified for the world championships starting in Hamburg in late August.

-AAP

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Nyika retains Oceania title | Radio New Zealand News - Radio New Zealand

Sport: Wisil, Dodson win Oceania 100m finals | Radio New Zealand … – Radio New Zealand

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Olympic duo Toea Wisil and Jeremy Dodson proved themselves quickest in the Pacific after winning the senior 100m finals at the Oceania Area Athletics Championships in Suva last night.

Papua New Guinea's Wisil ran 11.63 to finish more than half a second clear of Australia's Morgan Gaffney.

Toea Wisil in action at the 2012 London Olympics. Photo: AFP

Samoa's Dodson won a photo finish, clocking 10.86 seconds to pip PNG's Nazmie Lee Marai by two hundreths of a seconds.

In a bizarre scene, there was no winner in the men's 5000m senior race walk, with the only competitors, Fijian duo Rajeshwar Prasad and Pramesh Prasad, both disqualified.

Australia's Murray Goodwin claimed gold in the men's 400m final at ANZ Stadium, running 47.53, with Fiji's Samuela Railoa second.

Jamie Scroop cleared 4.00m to win the women's pole vault for Australia, with New Caledonia's Caihe Caihe the sole competitor in the men's event.

New Caledonia's Linda Selui threw 47.29 to take out the women's javelin, while Fiji's Isireli Bulivorovoro leaped 7.28m to win the men's long jump.

Meanwhile New Zealand continued their success in Para events, with Keegan Pitcher adding another gold medal to his haul in the men's 400m and Tamara Gotty the only competitor in the women's wheelchair javelin.

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Sport: Wisil, Dodson win Oceania 100m finals | Radio New Zealand ... - Radio New Zealand

PNG Boxers Return from Oceania Boxing Championships EMTV … – EMTV Online

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The PNG Boxing team arrived in the country after attending the Oceania National Boxing Championships in Gold Coast, Australia. Out of 9 countries, Papua New Guinea finished in third place behind Australia and New Zealand.

PNG did well at the Oceania Championships winning 5 medals (1 Gold, 1 Silver and 3 Bronze).

The most noticeable would be Charlie Keama who defended his title in the Flyweight Division beating Australias Tyler Blizzard in the Gold Medal bout.

Maxie Magea settled for Silver in his Light-Flyweight division, going down to Australias Alex Winwood.

Team PNG was made up of some fairly new faces to the international scene.

PNG Boxing President John Avira said though they were new, they certainly impressed going up against Australia and New Zealand.

Keama and Magea have qualified for the World Championships in Germany later this year.

Moving forward, Boxers will be preparing to take part in the National Championships and other upcoming international events.

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PNG Boxers Return from Oceania Boxing Championships EMTV ... - EMTV Online

Volunteers wanted for Oceania Championships – Pacific Daily News

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Pacific Daily News 6:09 p.m. ChT June 28, 2017

Guam Youth Basketball Association logo(Photo: Courtesy of the Guam Youth Basketball Association)

The Guam Basketball Confederation (GBC) is looking for volunteers for the 2017 International Basketball Federation (FIBA) U17 Oceania Championships from July 10 to 17.

The games will be played at the University of Guam Calvo Field House and the Father Duenas Memorial School Phoenix Center.

Thetournament will cater to nearly 200 athletes from around our Oceania region from the following participating countries Australia, New Zealand, Guam, Tahiti, New Caledonia, Samoa, Palau and the Marshall Islands.

The FIBA Oceania Youth Championships provides a way for youngathletes to represent their country at the highest level of the sport. The Championships acts as a qualifier for the U17 and U19 World Championships held every two years. The Oceania qualifiers have been open for all Oceania nations to compete since 2014.

GBC is requesting the Guam Youth Basketball Association's support in encouraging club and volunteer involvement for the tournament.

The GBC'sidea is to have each of the GYBA clubs "adopt a team". For example:Mavericks can adopt the team fromAustralia, Crusaders can adopt team Guam, and Islanders adoptSamoa, etc. These clubs would then be encouraged to come out to "their adopted countries" game and support that team.

There would also bea tournament long shooting competition. The players from each club could compete against each other at half time. There will be atally indicatingwhich club is winning andprizes at the end of the tournament.

For more information you can contact Susan Lupolaatsusanrlupola@gmail.comor byphoneat 687-1144.

GYBA Drug Free Youth Basketball League Saturday, June 24 Results

From the Guam Sports Complex Gym

In the U16 boys division:

In the U18 girls division:

In the U18 Boys Division:

Under 10

Under 12

Information was provided in a press release.

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Volunteers wanted for Oceania Championships - Pacific Daily News

Iran routs Sri Lanka in 2017 ParaVolley Asia Oceania Sitting Volleyball Championships – Press TV

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The national Iranian men's sitting volleyball team has dominated Sri Lanka in the preliminary round of the 2017 ParaVolley Asia Oceania Sitting Volleyball Championships in China.

The Iranian squad stormed past the Sri Lankan contingent with a straight-set win, 25-5, 25-10 and 25-9, in a fixture staged in the southern Chinese city ofHangzhou.

In another match of the day, Iran women's national sitting volleyball team suffered a 1-3 defeat from Japan.

Iranian physically-challenged sportswomen will take on their Kazakh counterparts on Saturday. Iran women's national sitting volleyball team is also scheduled to play Kazakhstan in the third-place playoff.

The 2017 ParaVolley Asia Oceania Sitting Volleyball Championships opened in Hangzhou, China, on June 27, and will wrap up on July 3.

The tournament has brought together national mens sitting volleyball teams from China, Iraq, the Islamic Republic of Iran, Japan, Kazakhstan and Sri Lanka.

National mens sitting volleyball teams from China, Iran, Japan, Kazakhstan and Mongolia are in action as well.

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Iran routs Sri Lanka in 2017 ParaVolley Asia Oceania Sitting Volleyball Championships - Press TV