The Century Foundation - Taking Note

Does Affirmative Action Matter?

Richard D. Kahlenberg, The Century Foundation, 7/29/2010

In a recent post, Matthew Yglesias of the Center for American Progress Action Fund argues that the battles over affirmative action in higher education don�t matter much in the fight for a fairer society.� But is the issue of who gets in to elite colleges a mere sideshow, or are there important ramifications for individuals and communities?

The Platform: What Is Happening at The Washington Post

Peter Osnos, The Century Foundation, 7/28/2010
Every month, two checks from BNY Mellon Asset Servicing arrive at my home for a total of $477.52, which represents my pension from The Washington Post. Considering that I left the newspaper in 1984, after 18 years as a reporter and editor, this small but welcome contribution to my income means that I remain attached to the company in the most concrete of ways: money. In 1996, when I was founding PublicAffairs, I thought each book we published should carry a tribute to three people for whom I had worked.

Diagnosis Without Treatment: The Perils of New Tests for Early Alzheimer�s Disease

Naomi Freundlich, The Century Foundation, 7/27/2010
In April, an independent panel established by the National Institutes of Health came to the disheartening conclusion that currently, there is nothing to prevent or delay the progress of Alzheimer�s disease in those of us who are destined to join the 5 million Americans currently suffering from this dreaded ailment.

The Snapshot: Jobs vs. the Deficit

Ruy Teixeira, The Century Foundation, 7/26/2010
The conservative mantra these days is that no action can be taken to help create jobs if it would increase the deficit. They believe the public is behind them because concern is running high about the deficit. But that doesn�t necessarily mean concern about the deficit is running higher than concern about unemployment.

A Cautionary Retirement Tale

Neil Bhatiya, The Century Foundation, 7/26/2010
When President George W. Bush introduced his proposed overhaul of the U.S. Social Security system, the cornerstone of which would have shifted a portion of workers� payroll taxes into personal retirement accounts, he all but guaranteed that the available investment vehicles would be safe and provide a reliable source of income over the long-term.