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Center of the American Experiment Issues Commentary: Will Minnesota Train the Next Batch of Literacy Educators Adequately?
MINNETONKA, Minnesota, June 6 -- The Center of the American Experiment, a civic and educational organization that says it creates and advocates policies, issued the following commentary on June 4, 2026, by policy fellow Josiah Padley:* * *
Will Minnesota train the next batch of literacy educators adequately?
District officials should choose wisely when selecting the professional development curriculum their district will require for literacy educators.
As I wrote yesterday, Minnesota's 2023 READ Act aims to reform and update the state's early literacy education processes. One key reform component ... Show Full Article MINNETONKA, Minnesota, June 6 -- The Center of the American Experiment, a civic and educational organization that says it creates and advocates policies, issued the following commentary on June 4, 2026, by policy fellow Josiah Padley: * * * Will Minnesota train the next batch of literacy educators adequately? District officials should choose wisely when selecting the professional development curriculum their district will require for literacy educators. As I wrote yesterday, Minnesota's 2023 READ Act aims to reform and update the state's early literacy education processes. One key reform componentis that of mandatory evidence-based literacy instruction training for educators, who too often have received inaccurate or insufficient training on the science of literacy. Research shows that a good teacher matters more to student achievement than any other aspect of a schooling experience.
The Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) approved a few literacy instruction training programs for educators. Most of Minnesota's 33,386 Phase 1 Educators (mainly elementary classroom educators) have already completed their training before the July 1 2026 deadline, with 64 percent completely finished and 25 percent in progress. As I have written, one of the programs endorsed by MDE (and the program which claims to have educated the majority of Phase 1 Educators) is also the program with the least research backing.
The sweep of literacy instruction training is now moving to Phase 2, with all Phase 2 educators required to complete their professional development by July 1, 2027. There are far fewer educators classified as Phase 2. The 3,071 Phase 2 educators are mainly grade 4-12 educators who provide reading instruction, educators who work in struggling populations, middle and high school curriculum directors and literacy material selectors. As of June 15, 2025, 26 percent had completed their training and 9 percent were in progress. There is no public information available that could indicate what programs have been chosen for Phase 2 educators.
What about the teacher training programs given to Phase 2 educators?
There are four programs approved by MDE for Phase 2 educators, which vary in trustworthiness: CAREIALL Secondary, Neuhause Structured Literacy Modules, OL&LA Secondary, and STRIVE Science of Reading Grades 4-12.
CAREIALL Secondary is a product of the Center for Applied Research and Educational Improvement at the University of Minnesota, created in response to the READ Act. While this brand-new program does not have any peer-reviewed research or reviews by reputable organizations, it was created by a robust team of professional literacy researchers at the U. Unlike CAREI's program for elementary teachers, the program is not accredited by the International Dyslexia Association (IDA). District leaders should be aware that this program does not yet have a rigorous research backing. Happily, the program has been approved by the State of Michigan for literacy instruction.
Neuhaus Structured Literacy Modules, originating from the Neuhaus nonprofit, has a strong profile. The organization is recognized by the International Dyslexia Association (IDA), and is accredited by the International Multisensory Structured Language Education Council (IMSLEC). The Modules are in alignment with IDA's Knowledge and Practice Standards. While the Modules themselves have not undergone a rigorous peer-review study, Neuhaus' strong institutional backing has led states like Rhode Island to recommend the program.
OL&LA Secondary, created by the educational consulting firm Consortium on Reaching Excellence in Education (CORE), is another new (2023) program. Similarly to CAREI, OL&LA's program for K-6 teachers is accredited by the IDA, but not the Secondary program that will be used for Minnesota's Phase 2 educators. No peer-reviewed studies have validated OL&LA Secondary's efficacy.
Finally, STRIVE Science of Reading Grades 4-12 originates from consulting firm Strive TLC. The program appears to have no outside accreditations and has not undergone any peer reviewed studies. The organization was founded by Montana Office of Public Instruction official Debbie Hunsaker, who directed Montana literacy programs in her role as Division Administrator for Educational Opportunity and Equity. The strongest indication of STRIVE Science of Reading's quality is the selection by MDE as an approved curriculum for literacy instruction.
Of course, a district's early literacy reform does not rise or fall on the strength of their training program. Efficacy depends on each school district's ability to successfully implement long-term structural reform and ongoing teacher coaching. Districts aren't going it alone: the READ Act mandated the creation of a network of literacy coaches and district-level support. The new Regional Literacy Network (RLN), according to the recent READ Act report, is "composed of nine literacy leads and 20 literacy coaches who are located across each of the 9 Minnesota service cooperatives." Plus, each school district is required to submit a Local Literacy Plan to the state and designate one person as a District/Charter Literacy Lead. (Well-regarded education policy organization Excel In Ed has raised a red flag of warning about the potential inadequacies of Minnesota's teacher coaching program, as literacy coaches are assigned to each district, not each elementary school.)
The four programs that MDE has approved for professional development have very different qualifications when it comes to institutional backing, accreditation strength, and peer-reviewed research history. It's interesting that MDE chose to put forward several relatively new programs, especially when contrasted with other literacy-reform states like Mississippi (which has partnered with AIM Pathways and Lexia). If these professional development programs gain additional markers of academic strength in the future, then districts will be validated in their choice to trust MDE's guidance. But districts should always be aware that programs are not created equally, and they must use wisdom for this choice that can shape their literacy programs for the next several years.
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Josiah Padley is a Policy Fellow at Center of the American Experiment.
josiah.padley@americanexperiment.org
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Original text here: https://www.americanexperiment.org/will-minnesota-train-the-next-batch-of-literacy-educators-adequately/
[Category: ThinkTank]
Jamestown Foundation Issues Commentary: Russia and Belarus Preparing for Escalation With Ukraine and NATO
WASHINGTON, June 5 -- The Jamestown Foundation issued the following commentary on June 4, 2026, by Alexander Taranov, an expert on Russian military and nuclear affairs, in the foundation's Eurasia Daily Monitor:* * *
Russia and Belarus Preparing for Escalation with Ukraine and NATO
Executive Summary:
* On May 15, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Russia is seeking to draw Belarus more deeply into the Kremlin's war against Ukraine. A Russian offensive from Belarusian territory would likely target northern Ukraine or the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's (NATO's) eastern ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, June 5 -- The Jamestown Foundation issued the following commentary on June 4, 2026, by Alexander Taranov, an expert on Russian military and nuclear affairs, in the foundation's Eurasia Daily Monitor: * * * Russia and Belarus Preparing for Escalation with Ukraine and NATO Executive Summary: * On May 15, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Russia is seeking to draw Belarus more deeply into the Kremlin's war against Ukraine. A Russian offensive from Belarusian territory would likely target northern Ukraine or the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's (NATO's) easternflank.
* Several indicators suggest potential Russian-Belarusian preparations for an offensive, including the expansion of military infrastructure in southern Belarus, the use of Belarusian territory for drone operations, modernization of Russian-Belarusian facilities, and announcement of a joint strategic exercise.
* Other Belarusian actions--continuous combat readiness inspections, transitioning military units to higher readiness levels, and adapting its military for high-intensity maneuver warfare--indicate preparation for possible regional escalation.
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Belarus officially denies plans to attack Ukraine or NATO countries, but Ukrainian officials remain skeptical due to Minsk's military preparations and Russia's use of Belarus as a launchpad for its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 while denying any such intention.
* Kyiv has signaled it would strike military targets in Belarus if Belarusian territory is used for new attacks against Ukraine, which could destabilize the Belarusian regime and deny Russia's ability to use Belarus as a staging ground for operations.
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On May 15, following consultations with the leadership of the Ukrainian Armed Forces (AFU) General Staff, the Defense Intelligence of Ukraine (HUR), the Foreign Intelligence Service, and the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU), Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Russia is seeking to draw Belarus more deeply into the war against Ukraine. Zelenskyy also said that Russia is examining operational plans for actions from Belarusian territory against either Ukraine or a North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) member state. Ukraine says it has obtained intelligence regarding ongoing negotiations between Russian and Belarusian leadership on this matter. According to this intelligence, Russia is assessing operational plans to be launched from the south or north border of Belarus--either against the Chernihiv-Kyiv axis in Ukraine, or against a NATO member state. Zelenskyy cautioned that Ukraine would defend itself should Belarusian President Alyaksandr Lukashenka allow these operations. Zelenskyy has directed Ukraine's Defense Forces (UDF) to reinforce Ukraine's border with Belarus and to submit a contingency plan (Telegram/@ V_Zelenskiy_official, May 15). Zelenskyy's statements came in the wake of a telephone conversation between Lukashenka and Putin, during which the two leaders discussed defense cooperation (Telegram/@pul_1, May 15).
AFU Commander-in-Chief General Oleksandr Syrskyi regards the threat of a Russian offensive from Belarusian territory as credible. According to Syrskyi, the Russian General Staff is actively war-gaming and planning offensive operations from the Belarus-Ukraine border with the objective of stretching the front line to exploit Russia's numerical superiority in manpower and equipment (Telegram/@milinua, May 22).
According to Ukrainian intelligence, the Russian General Staff is developing five scenarios for expanding the war through northern Ukraine. These plans may encompass both the use of Belarusian territory in proximity to the Russian border and operations conducted directly from Russian soil without Belarusian involvement. According to Ukrainian intelligence assessments, the most credible of these five scenarios--should Russia decide to launch a new offensive operation--is an attempt to establish a buffer zone in Chernihiv oblast extending 10 to 20 kilometers (6 to 12 miles) into Ukrainian territory. The least credible scenario is an advance on Kyiv. Under all potential courses of action, the Russian Armed Forces would not be able to initiate offensive operations before autumn at the earliest. To this end, the Kremlin is planning a new mobilization wave of an additional 100,000 soldiers (RBC-Ukraine, May 22).
On May 21, Zelenskyy visited Slavutych in northern Ukraine, where he met with the heads of the Kyiv and Chernihiv oblasts. He stated that Ukraine is reinforcing its defenses along its northern border with Belarus, including its protective infrastructure and the defense and security forces deployed in that direction. Zelenskyy noted that Ukraine possesses the capability to act pre-emptively against Russian territory from which threats may emanate, and against Belarusian leadership (Telegram/@V_Zelenskiy_official, May 21). The next day, in Rivne, he said that there is a threat of an attack from Belarus against Volyn, Zhytomyr, and Rivne oblasts in addition to the Kyiv and Chernihiv oblasts (Telegram/@V_Zelenskiy_official, May 22). Ukraine receives some supplies from Western partners through these regions, making a potential attack particularly problematic. Moreover, the Rivne Nuclear Power Plant, which supplies electricity to Kyiv and surrounding areas, is located just 60 kilometers (37 miles) from the border with Belarus. Russian control over this area would open the way for the encirclement of Kyiv and create a potential axis of advance toward Lviv oblast--a key logistic hub via which Ukraine gets almost all military and economic support from the West.
Kyiv has already transmitted the relevant intelligence through diplomatic channels to its NATO partners and has tasked the relevant agencies with developing diplomatic pressure and conveying direct signals to the Belarusian leadership (Telegram/@V_Zelenskiy_official, May 20; X/@andrii_sybiha, May 21). According to Ukrainian intelligence assessments, activity along the Chernihiv-Kyiv axis and the overall threat level from Belarus remain low. Ukrainian leadership is, however, tracking several indicators that may point to Russian preparations for potential offensive action there (RBC-Ukraine, May 22).
The first indicator is that four battalions--approximately 1,900 troops--of the Belarusian Armed Forces (BAF) remain deployed on a continuous rotation basis at the Belarus-Ukraine border. At present, however, there are insufficient Russian forces on Ukraine's border with Belarus or Russia's Bryansk oblast to conduct offensive operations (RBC-Ukraine, May 22). The second indicator, which has not yet been openly observed, is an intensification of reconnaissance and sabotage-reconnaissance activity on the part of Belarus and Russia along the axis of a potential strike.
The third indicator is Belarus' expansion of logistics routes and the construction of training ranges and bases near its border with Ukraine that could be utilized by Russian forces within the framework of their Union State treaty. Ukrainian intelligence indicates that road construction toward Ukrainian territory and the preparation of artillery positions are underway in the Belarusian border zone (Telegram/@V_Zelenskiy_official, April 17). Ukraine has also reported that Russia has deployed ground control stations for long-range drones in Belarus for strikes against Ukraine's Kyiv oblast (Unian, April 5). Furthermore, Serhii "Flash" Beskrestnov, adviser to the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense on defense technologies, stated that Russian Shahed-type unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are utilizing Belarusian cellular roaming in the border area during strikes against Ukraine (Facebook.com/@Serhii.Flash, April 17). During recent large-scale strikes against Ukraine, Russia once again used Belarusian airspace for drone transit (Telegram/@kpszsu, May 13). Russia could therefore once again employ air attack assets on a large scale from Belarusian territory--especially given their significant qualitative and quantitative expansion compared to 2022--even without deploying ground forces into Ukraine. Russia and Belarus are close to completing the implementation of two new military infrastructure programs, indicating preparations for more large-scale conflict. These were developed because of operational shortcomings encountered during the first phase of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine launched from Belarusian territory in 2022:
Improvement of military infrastructure facilities designated for joint use in support of the Regional Troops Grouping (RTG) of the Republic of Belarus and the Russian Federation in 2023-2026;
Modernization of rear support facilities designated for joint use in support of RTG of the Republic of Belarus and the Russian Federation in 2023-2027 (Belarus Segodnya, November 14, 2024).
The fourth indicator comprises joint Belarusian-Russian nuclear exercises. Some of these exercises have taken place on Belarusian territory, designed as a demonstration of force as well as preparation for nuclear strikes directed at Ukraine and neighboring NATO member states (see EDM, April 30, June 17, 2024, April 17, 2025; President of Russia, May 21). Under the cover of such exercises, Belarusian and Russian forces may increase their troop presence along Ukraine's borders. To this end, and for the purpose of rehearsing joint operations, Belarus and Russia may attempt to conduct additional unscheduled exercises similar to Zapad-2025 or Souznaya Reshimost-2022 (Union Resolve-2022), which served as cover for the large-scale concentration of Russian forces ahead of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Putin has already announced a joint exercise with Belarus designated Schit Soyuza-2027, and the possibility of a snap exercise along the lines of Soyuznaya Reshimost-2022, which the Kremlin used as cover to mass troops, equipment, and logistics in Belarus for the full-scale invasion of Ukraine from February 10-20, 2022, cannot be ruled out (Interfax, May 21). In such a scenario, the primary indicator of preparations would be the planning of a mass railway transfer of Russian forces into Belarus. The redeployment of a 100,000-strong grouping would require approximately three to four weeks and some 15,000 railcars and flatcars--at least twice the volume recorded ahead of the Souznaya Reshimost-2022 exercise (see EDM, September 15, 2025).
In April, former Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said that Belarus is systematically preparing for military escalation, and is examining the possibility of opening a second front against Ukraine or the Baltic states under Russian direction (YouTube/@Dmytro_Kuleba, April 18). He identified five key signs of Belarusian military preparation: continuous combat training conducted under Russian instructors, an emphasis on combat mobilization readiness and large-scale command-and-staff exercises, the reinforcement of air defenses with Russian systems, and the deepening of command coordination between Russian and Belarusian military structures. According to Kuleba, Moscow views potential activation of the Belarusian front as a way to stretch AFU resources, compelling Kyiv to redeploy experienced units from other sectors of the frontline to defend the northern border. Kuleba does not exclude the possibility that Belarusian military activity may be directed at intimidating the Baltic states and Poland, generating additional pressure on the region in the event of further Russian escalation (YouTube/@Dmytro_Kuleba, April 18).
Moscow may be pursuing several additional objectives simultaneously. Preparations in Belarus are an element of Putin's plan to establish a "buffer zone" around Russia's border with Ukraine. The Russian president assigned this objective to his military commanders two years ago. Military buildup in Belarus also creates psychological pressure on the Ukrainian population, with the aim of rendering Kyiv more amenable to Moscow's terms. Finally, should Putin ultimately decide to advance on Kyiv from Belarus, he would attempt to decapitate and seize Ukraine's military-political leadership. Currently, however, this scenario appears to be the least probable (RBC-Ukraine, May 22).
In a May 21 statement, Lukashenka was quick to assert that he has no intention of attacking neighboring states and even proposed holding talks with Zelenskyy to dispel Ukrainian concerns. He stated that Belarus would be drawn into Russia's war against Ukraine only if aggression were committed against its territory. In such a scenario, Belarus and Russia would conduct military operations jointly (BelTA, May 21). Given that Belarusian political and military leadership were involved in a strategic disinformation campaign denying even the possibility of an attack being launched from Belarusian territory in the run-up to Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, such assurances are met with little trust in Kyiv (RBC-Ukraine, May 21).
If Russian forces use Belarusian territory as a staging ground for an attack on Ukraine, the Armed Forces of Ukraine would then conduct retaliatory strikes against Belarusian territory, thereby "legitimizing" the involvement of the Belarusian Armed Forces in the conflict. Two parallel combat readiness inspections conducted from January to April--one ordered by Lukashenka and the other initiated by the Belarusian Ministry of Defense--indicate that the Belarusian leadership is preparing for the possibility of a major regional escalation. In an article released on April 17, Belarusian Defense Minister Viktar Khrenin stated that the comprehensive inspection of Western Operational Command, responsible for Belarus' border with Poland and Lithuania, provided a cross-sectional assessment of the overall level of readiness of the BAF to repel aggression, which he claimed persists on the European continent (BelTA, April 17). On April 1, Lukashenka said that Belarus is preparing for a war and underlined the need for the BAF to adapt to highly maneuverable, high-intensity combat operations concepts (President of Belarus, April 1). Such statements indicate anticipation of escalation involving the expansion of Russia's war against Ukraine. In this context, preparations are underway for the involvement of the BAF in military operations against Ukraine and for potential military actions against NATO's eastern flank.
During a May 12 briefing from Khrenin regarding the comprehensive combat readiness inspections of the BAF, Lukashenka stated that he intends to continue selectively mobilizing military units to prepare them for war (President of Belarus, May 12). The fact that the Immediate Reaction Forces, a grouping of the most combat-ready formations and permanently ready units of the Belarusian military, are being transitioned to a wartime footing serves as another indicator of Belarus' preparation for military engagement (Telegram/@Tsaplienko, May 22).
Ukraine accordingly views the possible reopening of a northern front as a credible threat. Should this happen, Kyiv would likely seek to transfer military operations onto Belarusian territory as rapidly as possible. These developments, if they occur, could destabilize the Lukashenka regime and deprive Russia of the ability to continue using Belarusian territory as a staging area for operations against Ukraine and NATO's eastern flank states.
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Alexander Taranov is an expert on Russian military and nuclear affairs.
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Original text here: https://jamestown.org/russia-and-belarus-preparing-for-escalation-with-ukraine-and-nato/
[Category: ThinkTank]
Center for American Progress: May's Headline Jobs Numbers Mask Growing Underemployment and Sidelined Workers
WASHINGTON, June 5 (TNSrep) -- The Center for American Progress issued the following news release:* * *
May's Headline Jobs Numbers Mask Growing Underemployment and Sidelined Workers
While today's Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) jobs report shows job growth, a new analysis (https://www.americanprogress.org/article/mays-headline-jobs-numbers-mask-underlying-labor-market-slack/) by the Center for American Progress reveals that, under the surface, there is still weakness in the labor market and rising underutilization that is leaving a growing number of Americans underemployed, sidelined, or ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, June 5 (TNSrep) -- The Center for American Progress issued the following news release: * * * May's Headline Jobs Numbers Mask Growing Underemployment and Sidelined Workers While today's Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) jobs report shows job growth, a new analysis (https://www.americanprogress.org/article/mays-headline-jobs-numbers-mask-underlying-labor-market-slack/) by the Center for American Progress reveals that, under the surface, there is still weakness in the labor market and rising underutilization that is leaving a growing number of Americans underemployed, sidelined, orstruggling to connect with sustainable full-time work.
The analysis shows that every major alternative measure of labor market slack has deteriorated past pre-pandemic baselines since January 2025. Furthermore, these labor market challenges are compounding a broader squeeze on household finances. Driven by rising prices linked to the administration's ongoing war in Iran and aggressive tariff policies, inflation-adjusted wages have fallen over the past year, meaning even steadily employed workers are actively losing financial ground.
The CAP study highlights three critical areas of concern:
* Sidelined labor force: The average share of Americans who are not in the labor force but want a job has accelerated sharply over the past year, representing nearly a million more people than the pre-pandemic average. Because they are not actively searching, they are excluded from headline (U-3) data, which sits 13.7 percent above the pre-pandemic baseline, based on May's three-month average.
* Elevated "real unemployment" (U-6): The broadest measure of labor underutilization--U-6 unemployment, which includes involuntary part-time workers--averages 8.9 percent above its pre-pandemic level over the past three months. While slower growing than the headline rate, the May U-6 unemployment rate is 8.1 percent compared with the 7.4 percent average during 2018 to 2019 and significantly higher than May's 4.3 percent headline unemployment rate.
* Surge in long-term unemployment: While short-term unemployment has normalized, long-term joblessness has skyrocketed. Over the past three months, the average number of workers out of work for 15 to 26 weeks sits 25.5 percent above its pre-pandemic baseline, while those unemployed for 27 weeks or more is a staggering 43.8 percent above baseline.
"While we've seen strong job growth for the past few months and stable unemployment, the headline unemployment numbers are understating the true extent of labor market slack," added Sara Estep, an economist at CAP and co-author of the analysis. "Whether you look at those who have been driven out of the labor force entirely or those stuck in long-term unemployment or part-time jobs they do not desire, conditions today remain fundamentally worse than pre-pandemic norms."
Read the analysis: "May's Headline Jobs Numbers Mask Underlying Labor Market Slack" (https://www.americanprogress.org/article/mays-headline-jobs-numbers-mask-underlying-labor-market-slack/) by Jazmine Amoako and Sara Estep
For more information or to speak with an expert, please contact Rafael Medina at rmedina@americanprogress.org.
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Original text here: https://www.americanprogress.org/press/release-mays-headline-jobs-numbers-mask-growing-underemployment-and-sidelined-workers/
[Category: ThinkTank]
Capital Research Center Issues Commentary: Enemies of Energy - 'Uniquely Dangerous' Nuclear Power
WASHINGTON, June 5 (TNSrpt) -- The Capital Research Center issued the following commentary on June 3, 2026, by Managing Editor and Director of Content Ken Braun:* * *
Enemies of Energy: "Uniquely dangerous" nuclear power
Nuclear power produces no emissions, has an unbeatable safety record, and provides unmatched reliability. So of course, the anti-energy NGOs hate it.
Editor's note: The following is an excerpt from the "Myths and Misconceptions" section of Enemies of Energy, a research report created for the Capital Research Center.
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Despite not having a tailpipe, most electric vehicles ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, June 5 (TNSrpt) -- The Capital Research Center issued the following commentary on June 3, 2026, by Managing Editor and Director of Content Ken Braun: * * * Enemies of Energy: "Uniquely dangerous" nuclear power Nuclear power produces no emissions, has an unbeatable safety record, and provides unmatched reliability. So of course, the anti-energy NGOs hate it. Editor's note: The following is an excerpt from the "Myths and Misconceptions" section of Enemies of Energy, a research report created for the Capital Research Center. - Despite not having a tailpipe, most electric vehiclesoperating in America generate carbon dioxide emissions because at least 60 percent of our electricity is generated with fuels that emit CO2. This is true for most of the world, with the important exception of France, which produces 70 percent of its electricity from nuclear power stations.[i] [ii]
Nuclear power production does not create greenhouse gas emissions, let alone carbon dioxide. Nuclear power plants emit only water vapor--the clouds that rise out of the iconic cooling towers. No nation collects remotely as much of its electricity from nuclear power as the French, and as a result few economies--and none of the world's largest--have lower CO2 emissions per person than France. [iii]
Nuclear is the second largest worldwide generator of electricity without CO2 emissions--ahead of both wind and solar and behind only hydro-electric dams. [iv]
As the massive French buildout of nuclear power demonstrates, it is also the only CO2-free electricity option that is both limitlessly scalable and reliable. There are only so many rivers on Earth that can be dammed up, and that's assuming they should be used for this purpose, because hydro dams require a lot of land use and impose other environmental issues. Wind and solar, which have land use problems as well, carry the additional burden of working only when the wind and sun cooperate.
Despite creating the first reactor and having the largest fleet of nuclear stations on Earth, the United States now generates less than 20 percent of its electricity this way. [v] [vi] [vii]
If present trends continue, the USA will soon be eclipsed by China. According to the World Nuclear Association, China is currently building out more than 41,000 megawatts of nuclear capacity, equal to 42 percent of the current American nuclear capacity. As of this writing, the nuclear industry trade group does not credit the United States with even a single reactor under construction. Total American nuclear capacity has been flat for more than two decades. [viii] [ix]
In spite of this, and despite years of lavish subsidies for wind and solar electricity, nuclear power remains America's single largest emissions-free electricity source, generating more annual kilowatts than wind and solar combined. If the will were there to increase America's production of CO2-free power generation, then there is no better option than building a lot of nuclear reactors. The United States clearly has the ability and wealth to match and eclipse the Chinese nuclear program. Like the French, we could generate at least 70 percent of our electricity from nuclear power, or even more. [x]
The anti-energy NGOs, all of them gravely concerned about the impact of CO2 emissions, are a major reason this is not happening. They also deserve blame for America's abandonment of its nuclear energy leadership over the last half century. The Sierra Club is "unequivocally opposed" to nuclear power and claims it is "uniquely dangerous." Over the last decade hundreds of other American NGOs have made similar statements, engaged in legal actions opposing nuclear power, or otherwise tried to impede it. The combined annual revenue of this anti-nuclear, anti-energy movement now exceeds $3.4 billion. [xi] [xii]
That means these enemies of American energy, and nuclear power in particular, are collecting an average of $9.3 million per day. [xiii]
Their claims do not match reality.
One person died of an assumed radiation-related lung cancer several years after the 2011 Fukushima nuclear incident in Japan. All other reasonably-claimed radiation fatalities from the world's entire history of nuclear energy are credited to the 1986 Chernobyl disaster in the then-Soviet Union. [xiv]
In a 2017 analysis, Our World in Data reported the "confirmed death toll from Chernobyl is less than 100," and that the "best approximation is that the true death toll is in the range of 300 to 500 based on the available evidence." With these assumptions the report concluded that nuclear "is one of the safest energy sources" [xv]
The vagueness of that estimate is due to the difficulty in attributing cancers discovered long after the Chernobyl accident to radiation exposure that occurred during the accident. Other reputable sources have come up with even lower fatality numbers. [xvi]
A June 2024 report from the U.S. Department of Energy stated the following: [xvii]
U.S. nuclear plants are among the safest and most secure industrial facilities in the world. [...] In the nearly 70-year history of civil nuclear power generation, with over 20,000 cumulative reactor-years of operation across 36 countries, there have been three significant accidents at nuclear power plants resulting in fewer than 30 deaths due to radiation exposure. [xviii]
But whether the true number of radiation fatalities from the history nuclear power is 500 or 30, it's comparatively tiny when weighed against other energy options.
For example, 29 people died on a single day because of an April 2010 coal mine explosion in West Virginia. Just in American history, several coal mine accidents have claimed more than 100 lives, and three led to more than 250 fatalities each. A 1975 hydro dam failure in China killed tens of thousands immediately and 100,000 later on due to the impact of the flood. [xix] [xx]
The oil and gas industry is also more dangerous. Examples include the 2010 explosion on the Deepwater Horizon oil platform off the coat of Louisiana that killed 11 workers, and the 1988 Piper Alpha oil platform disaster in the North Sea that killed 167. [xxi] [xxii]
And while wind and solar produce far less energy than hydrocarbon and nuclear fuels, even these technologies claim lives due to accidents such as falls, fires, and drownings.[xxiii]
In a February 2020 report, Our World in Data compared the safety profiles of all forms of energy production, compared to the energy generated, and also included assumed deaths from air pollution. "Nuclear energy," they concluded, "results in 99.9% fewer deaths than brown coal; 99.8% fewer than coal; 99.7% fewer than oil; and 97.6% fewer than gas." [xxiv]
Our World in Data also rated nuclear power as being as safe and clean as wind and solar energy. A March 2021 analysis from the Department of Energy confirms this point, stating that nuclear power "produces minimal waste." [xxv] [xxvi]
The Department of Energy report added this context: [xxvii]
All of the used nuclear fuel produced by the U.S. nuclear energy industry over the last 60 years could fit on a football field at a depth of less than 10 yards!
That waste can also be reprocessed and recycled, although the United States does not currently do this. [xxviii]
That last part is a feature, not a bug. Having never recycled, the United States has essentially gifted itself a large stockpile of zero emissions fuel. France does reprocess and recycle its spent nuclear fuel and now obtains 17 percent of its electricity from the supposed "waste." As such, there is a good argument that there is no such thing as "nuclear waste." [xxix]
The page for the full report is here: Enemies of Energy (https://capitalresearch.org/article/enemies-of-energy/).
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Endnotes
[i] "Electricity Explained." Energy Information Agency. U.S. Department of Energy. Accessed January 5, 2026. https://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/electricity/
[ii] "Nuclear Power in France." World Nuclear Association. (Updated January 14, 2026.) Accessed January 16, 2026. https://world-nuclear.org/information-library/country-profiles/countries-a-f/france
[iii] Ritchie, Hannah; Pablo Rosado, and Max Roser. "CO2 and Greenhouse Gas Emissions." Our World in Data. Accessed January 16, 2026. https://ourworldindata.org/co2-and-greenhouse-gas-emissions
[iv] "Electricity Production by Source, World." Our World in Data. Accessed January 16, 2026. https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/electricity-prod-source-stacked
[v] "Electricity Explained." Energy Information Agency. U.S. Department of Energy. Accessed January 5, 2026. https://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/electricity/
[vi] "Outline History of Nuclear Energy." World Nuclear Association. (Updated July 17, 2025). Accessed January 16, 2026. https://world-nuclear.org/information-library/current-and-future-generation/outline-history-of-nuclear-energy
[vii] "Reactor Database." World Nuclear Association. Accessed January 16, 2026. https://world-nuclear.org/nuclear-reactor-database/summary
[viii] "Reactor Database." World Nuclear Association. Accessed January 16, 2026. https://world-nuclear.org/nuclear-reactor-database/summary
[ix] "Nuclear Reactors in United States Of America." World Nuclear Association. Accessed January 16, 2026. https://world-nuclear.org/nuclear-reactor-database/summary/United%20States%20Of%20America?
[x] "Electricity Explained." Energy Information Agency. U.S. Department of Energy. Accessed January 5, 2026. https://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/electricity/
[xi] "Nuclear Free Future." Sierra Club. Accessed January 16, 2026. https://www.sierraclub.org/nuclear-free
[xii] Braun, Ken. "Anti-nuclear advocates raking in $9.3 million per day." Capital Research Center. January 8, 2026. Accessed January 16, 2026. https://capitalresearch.org/article/anti-nuclear-advocates-raking-in-9-3-million-per-day/
[xiii] Braun, Ken. "Anti-nuclear advocates raking in $9.3 million per day." Capital Research Center. January 8, 2026. Accessed January 16, 2026. https://capitalresearch.org/article/anti-nuclear-advocates-raking-in-9-3-million-per-day/
[xiv] Ritchie, Hannah. "What was the death toll from Chernobyl and Fukushima?" Our World in Data. July 24, 2017. Accessed January 16, 2026. https://ourworldindata.org/what-was-the-death-toll-from-chernobyl-and-fukushima
[xv] Ritchie, Hannah. "What was the death toll from Chernobyl and Fukushima?" Our World in Data. July 24, 2017. Accessed January 16, 2026. https://ourworldindata.org/what-was-the-death-toll-from-chernobyl-and-fukushima
[xvi] Ritchie, Hannah. "What was the death toll from Chernobyl and Fukushima?" Our World in Data. July 24, 2017. Accessed January 16, 2026. https://ourworldindata.org/what-was-the-death-toll-from-chernobyl-and-fukushima
[xvii] "5 Reasons Nuclear Is a Good Neighbor." U.S. Department of Energy | Office of Nuclear Energy. June 13, 2024. Accessed January 16, 2026. https://www.energy.gov/ne/articles/5-reasons-nuclear-good-neighbor
[xviii] "5 Reasons Nuclear Is a Good Neighbor." U.S. Department of Energy | Office of Nuclear Energy. June 13, 2024. Accessed January 16, 2026. https://www.energy.gov/ne/articles/5-reasons-nuclear-good-neighbor
[xix] "Historical Data on Mine Disasters in the United States." United States Department of Labor. Accessed January 16, 2026. https://arlweb.msha.gov/MSHAINFO/FactSheets/MSHAFCT8.htm
[xx] Lynch, Andy. "Dam Failure Case Study: Banqiao Dam (China, 1975)" Association of State Dam Safety Officials. 2023. Accessed January 16, 2026. https://damsafety.org/reference/dam-failure-case-study-banqiao-dam-china-1975
[xxi] "Deepwater Horizon oil spill." Britannica (online encyclopedia). Accessed January 16, 2026. https://www.britannica.com/event/Deepwater-Horizon-oil-spill/Legal-action
[xxii] "Piper Alpha disaster." Britannica (encyclopedia). Accessed January 19, 2026. https://www.britannica.com/event/Piper-Alpha-disaster
[xxiii] Ritchie, Hannah. "What are the safest and cleanest sources of energy?" Our World in Data. February 10, 2010. Accessed January 16, 2026. https://ourworldindata.org/safest-sources-of-energy
[xxiv] Ritchie, Hannah. "What are the safest and cleanest sources of energy?" Our World in Data. February 10, 2010. Accessed January 16, 2026. https://ourworldindata.org/safest-sources-of-energy
[xxv] Ritchie, Hannah. "What are the safest and cleanest sources of energy?" Our World in Data. February 10, 2010. Accessed January 16, 2026. https://ourworldindata.org/safest-sources-of-energy
[xxvi] "3 Reasons Why Nuclear is Clean and Sustainable." U.S. Department of Energy. March 31, 2021. Accessed January 16, 2026. https://www.energy.gov/ne/articles/3-reasons-why-nuclear-clean-and-sustainable
[xxvii] "3 Reasons Why Nuclear is Clean and Sustainable." U.S. Department of Energy. March 31, 2021. Accessed January 16, 2026. https://www.energy.gov/ne/articles/3-reasons-why-nuclear-clean-and-sustainable
[xxviii] "3 Reasons Why Nuclear is Clean and Sustainable." U.S. Department of Energy. March 31, 2021. Accessed January 16, 2026. https://www.energy.gov/ne/articles/3-reasons-why-nuclear-clean-and-sustainable
[xxix] "Nuclear Power in France." World Nuclear Association. (Updated January 14, 2026.) Accessed January 16, 2026. https://world-nuclear.org/information-library/country-profiles/countries-a-f/france
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Ken Braun
As managing editor and director of content of CRC, Ken Braun edits Capital Research magazine. He also conducts investigative research and drafts profiles for InfluenceWatch.org.
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REPORT: https://capitalresearch.org/app/uploads/FINAL-PDF_CRC_EnemiesofEnergy.pdf
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Original text here: https://capitalresearch.org/article/enemies-of-energy-uniquely-dangerous-nuclear-power/
[Category: ThinkTank]
CRC News: A Month in the Busy Life of InfluenceWatch
WASHINGTON, June 5 -- The Capital Research Center issued the following news:* * *
CRC News: A month in the busy life of InfluenceWatch
The Capital Research Center launched InfluenceWatch in 2017 "after identifying a need for more fact-based, accurate descriptions of the various influencers of public policy issues."
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A May 29 official committee staff memo written for the members of the U.S. House of Representatives, Committee on the Judiciary, cited InfluenceWatch as evidence for its findings. The memo subject was "The Biden-Harris Administration's Funding of Anti-Netanyahu Non-Governmental ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, June 5 -- The Capital Research Center issued the following news: * * * CRC News: A month in the busy life of InfluenceWatch The Capital Research Center launched InfluenceWatch in 2017 "after identifying a need for more fact-based, accurate descriptions of the various influencers of public policy issues." - A May 29 official committee staff memo written for the members of the U.S. House of Representatives, Committee on the Judiciary, cited InfluenceWatch as evidence for its findings. The memo subject was "The Biden-Harris Administration's Funding of Anti-Netanyahu Non-GovernmentalOrganizations, Part II."
The House staff memo made this claim:
Al-Shabaka is a U.S.-based think tank composed of "over 200 analysts around the world," including Salem Barahmeh, a former member of the U.S.-designated terrorist group, the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), and Omar Barghouti, "a founding member" of the BDS Israel movement.61
Footnote number 61, used to support this point, directs readers to the InfluenceWatch profile for Al-Shabaka: The Palestinian Policy Network, which contains nearly all of the information contained in the quote. The direct quotes in the House memo are taken directly from InfluenceWatch.
The Capital Research Center launched InfluenceWatch in 2017 "after identifying a need for more fact-based, accurate descriptions of the various influencers of public policy issues." The ongoing expense and dedication from our small platoon of researchers and writers has slowly turned "IW" into an indispensable resource for policymakers, media, students and the general public.
Another example is this May 27 report from the Independent Sentinel: "Kevin O'Leary Uncovers a Massive Network Manipulating America." A large chunk of the research and citations in this report are based on InfluenceWatch, which is repeatedly cited directly and indirectly in hyperlinks back to IW. The report also includes at least two directions for readers to find "More information at Influence Watch" (the link tracks back to the "Controversies" section on the IW page for Arabella Advisors.)
Here are seventeen other publicly known examples from just the last month:
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The Federalist--Reid Hoffman's Left-Wing Antics Go Far Beyond Bankrolling E. Jean Carroll's Anti-Trump Lawfare
Per the Washington Free Beacon, tax filings show that Hoffman's group paid approximately $7 million to the firm of Carroll's lawyer as part of her legal crusade against Trump. The Trump legal team "claimed Hoffman's support damaged Carroll's credibility," according to InfluenceWatch.
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Washington Examiner--E. Jean Carroll is a mess for the administration that won't go away
Carroll initially said in an October 2022 deposition that she had received no outside funding for her litigation, forcing her attorney, Roberta Kaplan, to correct the record in April 2023 court filings. Kaplan said Carroll "recollected additional information" about the fact that Hoffman, a liberal megadonor and anti-Trump critic, was paying some of her legal bills. Investigators in Chicago are examining issues connected to that left-leaning nonprofit organization American Future Republic, which Hoffman is listed as the president over, according to Influence Watch.
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Jack's Substack (investigative reporter Jack Cashill)-- The E. Jean Carroll Saga Is Darker Than You Think: The Trail of Sedition Leads to the Top
According to Influence Watch, "Tax returns revealed that Hoffman and this organization was the major financial backer of E. Jean Carroll." As Forbes reported this week, "the DOJ is investigating whether the nonprofit may have directed Carroll to lie in her deposition about the funding."
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Daily Caller--Jury Convicts Man For Running Foreign Police Station In New York City
"This is not espionage. This is not spying. This is not intelligence gathering," Carman said following Jianwang's week-long trial in Brooklyn federal court, according to the AP. "He wasn't charged with any of that."
Jianwang's attorneys claimed the location was a community center where individuals could renew their Chinese driver's licenses without having to return to China. People also gathered at the location to play ping-pong and mahjong, Carman said. It reportedly shared offices with the America ChangLe Association, an organization Jianwang ran with his brother. The America ChangLe Association has ties to the CCP, according to Influence Watch.
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Hoodline (Chicago indy media)-- Lincoln Park High Axes Arabic Classes, Sparks North Side Uproar
Arabic has been woven into Lincoln Park's world-language and IB offerings for years, with the school's Arabic department page describing coursework and extracurricular activities designed in part for heritage speakers. Grants and outside philanthropy have helped launch Arabic programs in Chicago schools, but observers note that one-time funding rarely covers recurring teacher salaries or day-to-day operating expenses. Qatar Foundation International has a documented track record of supporting Arabic language initiatives in the United States, according to InfluenceWatch. Lincoln Park's Local School Council has pointed to the limits of such grants, combined with enrollment trends, as key factors behind its move.
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Chattanoogan.com (local news op-ed in TN)-- Who Is Writing Our Local News, And Who Sent Them? - And Response
I am going to share some facts about who runs Report for America and who sits on its board. I will not tell you what to conclude. I will simply ask you to keep these facts in mind when you read the next Jules Feeney byline in your local paper.
Report for America is a project of The GroundTruth Project, which InfluenceWatch identifies as left-of-center, and is co-sponsored by Google News Lab. Its institutional funders include the Packard Foundation, the MacArthur Foundation, and the Knight Foundation, all of which operate in the center-left orbit of American philanthropy.
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The Federalist--The Left's Assassination Cult Welcomes The Fangirls Of Accused Killer Luigi Mangione
Interestingly, Rios zealously served in the volunteer campaign cult for Mamdani known as "Hot Girls for Zohran." The influencer and model works as a social media manager for Ali Design & Consulting Services in New York, according to her LinkedIn account. The leftist digital marketing firm boasts that it has "a passion for justice, equity, and inclusion." Its clients include the Unity & Justice Fund, which contributed $100,000 to Mamdani's super PAC, according to the California Globe. The Unity & Justice Fund is the political fundraising arm of the Council of American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), a nonprofit organization with alleged ties to Hamas, according to InfluenceWatch.
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Zero Hedge--California Chemical Tank Emergency At F-35 Supplier Comes Amid Far-Left Campaign Against Defense Firms
InfluenceWatch describes Unity of Fields as the former Palestine Action U.S. and says its US branch is focused on "their goal is to dismantle the ability for the Israeli state to carry out its foreign policy objectives by obstructing the facilities that produce arms for Israel."
InfluenceWatch has also reported that Marxist James "Fergie" Chambers, an heir to the Cox Enterprises family fortune, has provided financial support for Palestine Action members.
InfluenceWatch noted, "Palestine Action was created in July 2020. Its opening act was to vandalize the U.K. headquarters of defense contractor Elbit Systems, which conducts business with the State of Israel."
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Breitbart-- Ohio Democrat Running for Governor Poses as Moderate Despite Overseeing Millions in Grants to Radical Left-Wing Groups
The Columbus Foundation also administered $50,000 in 2017 to the Foundation for National Progress, which publishes Mother Jones. InfluenceWatch describes the foundation as a "center-left nonprofit" that "publishes and supports the social-democratic opinion and news magazine Mother Jones" and "supports the development of left-of-center journalists writing for the publication."
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Just the News--Leftist firm defending Singham Network from House probe also tied to the Marxist network: A left-leaning law firm helping Singham Network groups push back against House GOP efforts to get answers about the CCP-linked financial network is itself closely tied to parts of the same Marxist network.
The Progress Unity Fund (PUF) is the fiscal sponsor for the ANSWER Coalition, meaning donations to ANSWER flow through the PUF. The conservative Influence Watch describes the PUF as a "a radical-left fiscal sponsorship organization that supports the ANSWER Coalition, an anti-war and anti-Israel protest organization; Justice First, an advocacy organization with extensive connections to the Party for Socialism and Liberation, a socialist political party in San Francisco, California; and Women Organized to Resist and Defend, a pro-abortion feminist organization."
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Just the News-- Marxism-promoting Singham Network leader holds gig at CCP-tied think tank doing United Front work: Singham Network has long been dogged by calls that it should register under the Foreign Agents Registration Act. New revelations show one of its key leaders holds a position within the CCP and United Front ecosystem.
The right-leaning Capital Research Center's Influence Watch project states that the "Chongyang Institute was named the executive director of the Belt and Road Think Tank Cooperation Alliance, a coalition and conference created in 2015 by the International Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, the Development Research Center of the State Council, the Chinese Academy of Social Science, the China Center for International Economic Exchanges, and Fudan University" and that "the Alliance has officials from Greece, Slovenia, Tanzania, and other countries serving on its International Advisory Committee and counts more than 120 think tanks from countries participating in China's Belt and Road Initiative international infrastructure project as members of its coalition."
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Daily Caller--There's Something Smelly About Gavin Newsom's Free Diaper Giveaway
Kelly Patricof adds another layer of political connection through her marriage to Hollywood producer Jamie Patricof. Jamie's father, Alan Patricof, built a longstanding reputation as a major Democratic fundraiser, as noted by Influence Watch.
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The Federalist--When California Republicans Run Against Democrats, They're Running Against The Government
Newsom's press releases also explicitly cite the state's policymaking partnerships with CHIRLA, favorably quoting its director on the work they do together.
You can find a detailed discussion of CHIRLA's funding sources at the InfluenceWatch website, and you can track the same money by looking for it on government websites. The organization gets federal, state, county, and city funding.
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The Federalist--GOP Secures Agreement From North Carolina Election Officials To Clean Up Voter Rolls
Elias Law Group attorneys represented North Carolina Asians Together, a voter ID opposition group, and El Pueblo. The latter is a Raleigh-based liberal get-out-the-vote organization that issues non-governmental identification to noncitizens unable to obtain official ID, according to nonprofit tracker InfluenceWatch. The activists sought to intervene in the lawsuit because they oppose a provision in the law that requires the posting of juror disqualification information about noncitizens on the Board of Elections' website.
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California Globe--Union-Aligned Activists Promote 'Neighborhood Defense' Trainings As ICE Worksite Enforcement Expands: Organized Power in Numbers operates campaigns focused on promoting left-of-center stances on energy, climate, immigration, and labor issues with a focus on promoting labor union organizing
Organized Power in Numbers describes itself as an organization that combines organizing, digital infrastructure, and data strategy to "build worker power in the South and Southwest." The organization's website lists campaigns including "Workers Over Billionaires" and "Power Up AZ." It is a fiscally sponsored project of the Working Families Organization Inc., the advocacy arm of the union-aligned Working Families Party. The Executive Director of Organized Power in Numbers is Neidi Dominguez who illegally entered the United States into California with her mother and sister from Mexico when she was nine years old and is a DACA recipient, according to public records.
Per Influence Watch:
Organized Power in Numbers operates campaigns focused on promoting left-of-center stances on energy, climate, immigration, and labor issues with a focus on promoting labor union organizing. While the funders of the organization are largely unknown, groups listed as partners include the Texas Gulf Coast Area Labor Federation AFL-CIO, the Texas Organizing Project, and the Texas Climate Jobs Project.
Organized Power in Numbers operates campaigns focused on promoting far-left stances on energy, climate, immigration, and labor issues with a focus on promoting union organizing. The group operates a "school of organizing" with an annual cohort in collaboration with On Point Studios that trains in areas including campaign strategy, distributed organizing, data and digital, and base building.
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RadioInk (broadcast industry news)-- Meet WaterStone: The Christian Nonprofit Acquiring Salem Media
What makes the Salem deal interesting is that media investment isn't WaterStone's core business. The foundation doesn't hold a portfolio of broadcast properties the way a traditional group owner or private equity firm would. Its known investments, per tax filings and InfluenceWatch research, flow to its own supporting trust structures and organizations like the America First Legal Foundation and Focus on the Family, though the latter has a longstanding syndication relationship with Salem.
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Dynamic Chiropractic (medical industry news)--Unethical Influence
An examination of American Medical Association revenue by Influence Watch states that only $34 million of the AMA's $493 million 2022 total revenue came from membership dues. The lion's share, $293 million, came from "royalties and credentialing products," of which pharmaceutical companies are by far the largest purchasers. Other related income included $33.2 million in insurance commissions, $30.8 million in journal revenue and $13.3 million in advertising.
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Ken Braun
As managing editor and director of content of CRC, Ken Braun edits Capital Research magazine.
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Original text here: https://capitalresearch.org/article/crc-news-a-month-in-the-busy-life-of-influencewatch/
[Category: ThinkTank]
America First Policy Institute: Pro-Growth Policies Are Creating Jobs for Americans
WASHINGTON, June 5 -- The America First Policy Institute issued the following statement:* * *
Pro-Growth Policies Are Creating Jobs for Americans
The America First Policy Institute (AFPI) has released the following statement from Michael Faulkender, co-chair for American Prosperity, in response to positive economic data released this week and the Bureau of Labor Statistics data today:
"This week's economic data and today's jobs report show that the pro-growth policies of the Trump administration are benefitting America's workers and businesses. The jobs numbers further confirm the impact with ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, June 5 -- The America First Policy Institute issued the following statement: * * * Pro-Growth Policies Are Creating Jobs for Americans The America First Policy Institute (AFPI) has released the following statement from Michael Faulkender, co-chair for American Prosperity, in response to positive economic data released this week and the Bureau of Labor Statistics data today: "This week's economic data and today's jobs report show that the pro-growth policies of the Trump administration are benefitting America's workers and businesses. The jobs numbers further confirm the impact with172,000 new jobs created in May, and March and April revised upward by an additional 93,000 new jobs.
Manufacturing PMI has also reached its highest level since 2022, reflecting growing business confidence in the administration's pro-growth and sound tax and regulatory policies. Investment drives productivity, and productivity drives jobs and real wages.
The Working Families Tax Cuts Act laid the foundation for this growth with permanent full business expensing reducing the tax burdens on businesses, lowering the cost of hiring, and incentivizing investment.
This Administration is building a durable foundation for sustained American economic growth. The remaining work involves bringing domestic, all-of-the-above energy production to full capacity to reduce the energy cost burden that American families and manufacturers still face, further reducing the costs Washington's largesse imposes on American families and Main Street businesses, and unlocking the next leg of this expansion."
To read more about AFPI's policy work to reshore investment, boost the American economy, increasing housing supply, and create more jobs, click here (https://www.americafirstpolicy.com/policy-areas/economy-and-trade).
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Original text here: https://www.americafirstpolicy.com/issues/pro-growth-policies-are-creating-jobs-for-americans
[Category: ThinkTank]
America First Policy Institute Issues Commentary to Townhall: Looming Fight Over Intellectual Diversity - Restoring the Academy's Reason
WASHINGTON, June 5 -- The America First Policy Institute issued the following excerpts of a commentary on June 4, 2026, by Michael Shires, vice chair of Education Opportunity and Higher Education Policy and senior policy officer, to Townhall:* * *
The Looming Fight Over Intellectual Diversity - Restoring the Academy's Reason
Last week, the U.S. Department of Education hosted negotiated rulemaking through its Accreditation, Innovation, and Modernization (AIM) Committee.
The charge was straightforward and overdue: improve the quality of higher education, respond to a rapidly changing economic ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, June 5 -- The America First Policy Institute issued the following excerpts of a commentary on June 4, 2026, by Michael Shires, vice chair of Education Opportunity and Higher Education Policy and senior policy officer, to Townhall: * * * The Looming Fight Over Intellectual Diversity - Restoring the Academy's Reason Last week, the U.S. Department of Education hosted negotiated rulemaking through its Accreditation, Innovation, and Modernization (AIM) Committee. The charge was straightforward and overdue: improve the quality of higher education, respond to a rapidly changing economicand intellectual landscape, expand accountability and transparency for students and taxpayers, and rebuild the value proposition of a college degree.
As one of the negotiators in the room, I am proud of what we accomplished. The process embodied the best of American democracy: open and at times spirited debate over hard ideas, careful examination of evidence, more debate, and ultimately consensus, producing a sharper, smarter set of rules.
No issue generated more heat than intellectual diversity: the common-sense principle that universities should expose students to multiple perspectives on the contested issues of our day. In the coming days, expect lawsuits, passionate essays about the supposed death of academic freedom, and the like. But why?
Because it challenges the ideological stranglehold the radical left has on college campuses.
To read the full article, click here (https://townhall.com/columnists/michael-shires/2026/06/04/the-looming-fight-over-intellectual-diversity-restoring-the-academys-reason-for-being-n2677208).
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Dr. Michael Shires is a higher education leader and policy innovator who serves as Vice Chair of Education Opportunity and Higher Education Policy, as well as Senior Policy Officer, at the America First Policy Institute.
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Original text here: https://www.americafirstpolicy.com/issues/the-looming-fight-over-intellectual-diversity-restoring-the-academys-reason-for-being
[Category: ThinkTank]