The hottest Public funding Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
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Top U.S. Politics Topics

Betsy DeVos: Shut Down the Department of Education

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 6654 implied HN points • 06 Feb 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Education & Policy Government reform Public funding Political Opinion
  1. The Department of Education has spent over $1 trillion since it started, but student performance gaps have only worsened. This shows that the department isn't fixing the issues it was made to address.
  2. Most students are falling behind, with many fourth graders struggling to read and do basic math. The scores for the lowest performing students are the worst they've ever been.
  3. The Department of Education mainly acts as a middleman that complicates funding without improving education. It doesn't run schools or employ teachers, so some believe it should be shut down.

Big Bird Saves Public TV

Life Since the Baby Boom • 691 implied HN points • 03 Feb 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Media bias Public funding Government Policy Political Advocacy Cultural impact
  1. Public TV often gets funding cuts proposed by some politicians, but it survives by rallying support from well-loved characters like Mr. Rogers and Big Bird.
  2. There are worries about biased reporting from public media, especially from NPR and PBS, which some say have a liberal lean. This has led to calls for directing funding to other media outlets.
  3. Instead of completely defunding public broadcasting, it might be better to diversify funding, allowing support for a wider range of media that reflects different viewpoints.

Fauci says threats from 'extreme radical right' justify his taxpayer-funded chauffeur and security detail

The Dossier • 4618 implied HN points • 16 Oct 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Government Security Threats Public funding Response
  1. Anthony Fauci receives taxpayer-funded chauffeur and security detail because of threats from 'extreme radical right'
  2. Fauci's taxpayer-funded detail costs an estimated $1 million per month
  3. Fauci expresses concerns about the spread of disinformation eroding democracy

Abortion, Every Day (1.16.24)

All in Her Head by Jessica Valenti • 2692 implied HN points • 16 Jan 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Abortion Legislation Elections Public funding Reproductive Rights
  1. Anti-abortion activists are using victim-blaming tactics to avoid acknowledging the harm caused by abortion bans, as seen in the case of Yeni Glick in Texas.
  2. Legislators in different states are introducing bills that impact reproductive rights, such as a controversial fetal personhood bill in Kentucky and concerns about abortion access in Illinois.
  3. Various efforts are being made to protect abortion rights and improve reproductive health services, including legal battles, political campaigns, and initiatives to provide accurate information to the public.

How we discovered Fauci's secret $15 million taxpayer-funded security detail

The Dossier • 341 implied HN points • 11 Nov 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Government Scandals Transparency Public funding Policy
  1. Dr. Fauci has received a $15 million security detail funded by taxpayers even after leaving his government job. This detail provided him with constant protection, which is unusual for someone who is no longer in office.
  2. The details about this security arrangement were hidden for a long time, and it took over a year of work to uncover this information. It highlights the challenges involved in obtaining transparency from government agencies.
  3. Many Americans are upset about the misuse of taxpayer funds for Fauci's security while others, like Robert F. Kennedy Jr., were denied similar protections. This has sparked calls for more accountability regarding how public money is spent.
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🤑 Billionare Logic

UnfairNation by Ehsan Zaffar • 6 implied HN points • 11 Feb 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Public funding Media Government Contracts Social Impact Job Opportunities
  1. Elon Musk is cutting funding for public news outlets like NPR and PBS, but keeps getting lots of money for his companies from the government.
  2. In the past, people have strongly defended public broadcasting when it was threatened, showing the importance of having diverse news sources.
  3. There are many job opportunities in the impact sector, with various organizations looking for talented individuals to fill important roles.

Abolishing the Dept of Education

David Friedman’s Substack • 260 implied HN points • 16 Nov 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Education & Policy Federal Government Trump administration Public funding
  1. Abolishing the Department of Education could mean different things, like removing it while keeping funding the same, or fully taking away its control and funding.
  2. One suggestion is to give education funds directly to states to let them decide how to use the money, which might keep education more local.
  3. Another idea is to create a voucher program, giving parents the choice of where to send their kids for education, potentially including various types of schools.

Saving the National AI Research Resource & my AI policy outlook

Democratizing Automation • 126 implied HN points • 13 Nov 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics AI Policy Legislation Technology Regulation Public funding
  1. The National AI Research Resource (NAIRR) is crucial for connecting the government, big tech, and academic institutions to enhance AI research in the U.S. It aims to provide resources to support AI development for everyone, not just major companies.
  2. NAIRR is facing funding uncertainties, as it relies on congressional approval to continue beyond 2024. If it loses funding, it could hinder academic progress in AI, making it harder for smaller players to compete.
  3. There is a growing concern about state legislation regulating AI. As federal policies shift, states might create laws that can affect how open-source models are used, which poses risks for academic institutions.

How much 'queering' of society is being funded by the New Zealand taxpayer?

A B’Old Woman • 499 implied HN points • 20 Feb 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics LGBTQ Rights Public funding Social Issues Ideology Activism
  1. Some events funded by New Zealand taxpayers focus on LGBTQIA+ issues, which some believe changed societal norms.
  2. There are concerns about how these events may influence public perception and attitudes toward gender and sexuality.
  3. Debates exist regarding the appropriateness of using taxpayer money to support these initiatives and their impact on society.

New Zealand women’s sports gets a timely Christmas present.

A B’Old Woman • 719 implied HN points • 23 Dec 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Gender Issues Sports Policy Public funding Transgender rights Government Policies
  1. New Zealand's government is changing sports funding rules to stop public money from going to organizations that allow transgender athletes to compete in women's sports. This is seen as a win for protecting women's sports.
  2. Mainstream media coverage of this issue seems to focus more on the negative impacts for transgender athletes rather than highlighting the benefits for female athletes. Many believe it’s important to prioritize women’s rights in sports.
  3. Polls show that many New Zealanders oppose allowing transgender women to compete in women’s sports. There's a call for sports organizations to think harder about how to create fair competition, rather than just following easy policies.

Hospital rebuild plans ‘progressing at pace' and ‘fairly simple’ says health boss

NN Journal • 735 implied HN points • 11 Jan 24
🏥 Health Politics Public funding
  1. Hospital rebuild plans for Kettering General Hospital are progressing quickly and smoothly.
  2. The hospital's director noted that the project is considered 'fairly simple' compared to others due to its location and lack of lengthy land sales and planning permissions.
  3. Some car parking on the site will be lost during the construction of a new energy center, resulting in a reduction in staff parking.

Missouri is Dead Last in Starting Teacher Pay

The View from Rural Missouri by Jess Piper • 298 implied HN points • 29 Nov 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Education Public funding
  1. Missouri ranks dead last in starting teacher pay and 49th in rural teacher pay, which impacts both teachers and students in the state.
  2. Despite having a $2 billion surplus, Missouri's GOP supermajority has not addressed the teacher pay issue and is instead diverting funding to private religious schools via vouchers.
  3. Many rural Missouri schools have shifted to a 4-day week to cope with low pay, presenting challenges for both teachers and parents in these areas.

Follow the Money...

The View from Rural Missouri by Jess Piper • 378 implied HN points • 30 Sep 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Education Public Schools School choice Public funding Privatization
  1. The topic of school funding can lead to hateful and extreme rhetoric, especially from those pushing for privatization of public schools.
  2. There is a concerted effort by certain groups to defund public schools and redirect funds to private, often unaccountable institutions.
  3. Extreme rhetoric against public school advocates is often driven by profit-seeking individuals and politicians, rather than genuine concern for children's education.

Newsom, Inc.

OpenTheBooks Substack • 245 implied HN points • 12 Feb 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Policy Government Social Issues Legislation Public funding
  1. California's Newsom family is involved in a scheme of creating and solving problems to financially benefit themselves.
  2. Jennifer Siebel Newsom leverages taxpayer money to promote her nonprofit's films and curricula in public schools, potentially profiting personally.
  3. The establishment of the 'Office of First Partner' by Governor Newsom allowed Jennifer Siebel Newsom to push radical ideologies, influence policy, and receive significant taxpayer funding.

Nyhetsbrev steigan.no 22.10.2024

steigan.no • 8 implied HN points • 22 Oct 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Foreign Policy Public funding Military Affairs Elections Geopolitics Economic Policy
  1. Norway is providing a significant amount of money, 3.2 billion euros, to support democracy in various EU countries. However, many in Norway are concerned about the lack of funding for local services like schools and hospitals.
  2. The recent EU victory in Moldova's referendum was very narrow and reflects a divided opinion among the people. Many local voters opposed joining the EU, but overseas Moldovans influenced the result in favor of it.
  3. Israel's airstrikes in Lebanon have severely damaged financial institutions linked to Hezbollah. This has resulted in civilian evacuations and heightened tensions in the region, with many people affected by the ongoing conflict.

In 2021, 72% of UnitedHealth’s $222.9 billion revenue came from taxpayers.

HEALTH CARE un-covered • 259 implied HN points • 27 Jan 22
🏥 Health Politics Healthcare system Insurance Industry Government programs Public funding Health economics
  1. In 2021, most of UnitedHealth's revenue, about 72%, came from taxpayer money, highlighting their dependence on government programs.
  2. The majority of UnitedHealth's growth in the last decade came from government programs like Medicare and Medicaid, not from private insurance.
  3. Healthcare costs for families are rising, with premiums and deductibles taking a larger slice of their income compared to a decade ago.

Big insurer Anthem took in $38 billion in the first 3 months of 2022. Most of it by far came from taxpayers.

HEALTH CARE un-covered • 199 implied HN points • 28 Apr 22
🏥 Health Politics Health Insurance Public funding Medicare Medicaid
  1. Anthem's revenue has shifted significantly, with most of its income now coming from taxpayer-funded programs like Medicare and Medicaid rather than private-paying customers.
  2. The employer-based health insurance system is declining rapidly as many employers can no longer afford to provide coverage, affecting the number of private-paying customers.
  3. Despite growing profits largely from private-paying clients, many of Anthem's customers are struggling to afford out-of-pocket costs, leading to increased financial hardships.

The Economics of Oppenheimer

Some Unpleasant Arithmetic • 7 implied HN points • 18 Mar 24
🔬 Science Physics Economics Innovation Public funding
  1. The Oppenheimer movie explores the economics of science and how political beliefs can impact a career trajectory.
  2. Scientific progress is becoming harder and slower, influenced by factors like declining population growth and changing incentives for scientists.
  3. Cluster areas, like El Alamo for nuclear physics, play a significant role in scientific breakthroughs, showing the importance of collaboration and location in innovation.

Mini Exasperation #1 (Redux)

Exasperated Infrastructures • 0 implied HN points • 17 Jan 25
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Infrastructure Transportation Public funding Local government Bipartisan Issues
  1. Weekly posts will include a short thought on a current topic, offering a quick reflection or reaction. This aims to engage readers with fresh ideas regularly.
  2. Recent federal grants announced for infrastructure projects are significant and aimed at improving local communities. Better communication about these projects will help the public understand how their money is used.
  3. Different views on funding public transit show there’s a conflict between wanting supportive services and cutting costs. It's important to focus on making transit accessible and sustainable for everyone.