Search query: tennessee

"Dirtiest Hotel" Sues TripAdvisor for Defamation Over Top-Ten List
"Dirtiest Hotel" Sues TripAdvisor for Defamation Over Top-Ten List
The Internet is full of sites that allow users to review, compare, and evaluate all sorts of products and services. One such that that I’m particularly fond of is , which bills itself as offering “nbiased hotel reviews, photos and travel advice for hotels and vacations.” But what happens if the reviews don’t go your way – can a hotel’s designation as the “Dirtiest Hotel in America” be the basis of a defamation lawsuit? TripAdvisor In 2011, the Grand Resort Hotel and Convention Center in Pigeon
15 Oct, 2013
-
4 min read
Throwing Sticks and Stones at the IRS
Throwing Sticks and Stones at the IRS
Both independent and partisan observers have long described the United States as an ox or a mule that refuses to turn or move on the inclinations of an unpredictable caretaker. Symbolically, of course, we the people are the unpredictable and often unstable caretakers of our own nation. Mules are not resistant to movement because they lack intelligence or because they cannot pick up their legs and walk. They simply hate being forced to move against their will, especially with a guide that seems
21 Sep, 2013
-
12 min read
Some States Continue to Struggle Despite Core Curriculum Standards
Some States Continue to Struggle Despite Core Curriculum Standards
The goal for a national core curriculum, like Common Core, is to ensure that all students who graduate with a U.S. education are capable of participating in the national economy. Proponents argue students should be prepared for the demands of an increasingly globalized workforce or higher education, no matter where they were educated. However, indicators show states with historically lower quality education systems are falling farther behind in spite core curriculum's implementation. In states
06 Sep, 2013
-
1 min read
Do Independent Voters Need More Independent Candidates?
Do Independent Voters Need More Independent Candidates?
Demand, meet Supply Amidst some disenchantment with both major political parties, the chart above shows, when looking across the 50 states, the share of votes earned by candidates that were not either Democratic or Republican has fallen significantly for U.S. House of Representative elections since 2000. The State Data Lab resource (Votes Cast for House Election – Other), developed by Truth in Accounting, shows that states with relatively high shares of non-major party votes in 2000 also had s
30 Aug, 2013
-
1 min read
Does Money Buy Happiness?
Does Money Buy Happiness?
Rule number one in effective communication is to establish the relevancy of the topic to the audience. Why should they care? How does it affect their quality of life? Truthful accounting might do just that. For one measure of the states’ quality of life, we turn to the recent work done by Ballotpedia, a “collaborative encyclopedia designed to connect people to politics.” The site focuses on providing a comprehensive and non-partisan analysis of numerous candidates and political efforts. The Lu
18 Jul, 2013
-
3 min read
College Degree Programs Should Account for Realities of Labor Market
College Degree Programs Should Account for Realities of Labor Market
credit: University of Georgia If states are to rebuild and retool their economies, they must establish innovative and cost-effective solutions to increase student access to public colleges and universities, according to a recent report. Researchers at the nonpartisan think tank, the American Enterprise Institute, released a study titled, “Taking Charge: A State Level Agenda For Higher Education.” In it, the organization argues that governors and state legislatures must leverage the two-year an
15 Jul, 2013
-
3 min read
What Egypt Can Learn From The US Civil War
What Egypt Can Learn From The US Civil War
Egyptian citizens voting, many for the first time, in 2012 // Credit: Jonathan Rashad via Flickr It was 1864. The armies of the Confederacy were under heavy pressure. Having helped liberate Chattanooga, Union armies under William Tecumseh Sherman were now driving on Atlanta. Rebel armies under Joseph Johnston were blocking their way. The rebels were badly outnumbered and outgunned, but Joseph Johnston was a wily character. He understood that a rebel army would always pose a threat to the feder
02 Jul, 2013
-
14 min read
Can States Nullify The Affordable Care Act?
Can States Nullify The Affordable Care Act?
President Obama signs healthcare reform in 2010 // Credit: Reid.senate.gov Can a state unilaterally suspend the operation of ObamaCare within its borders? Of course not. That measure would violate the Supremacy Clause of the Constitution. We fought a Civil War over that question. What if two states banded together to suspend the operation of ObamaCare within their common territory? Can they do that? The answer remains the same. No. But let's try this. Let's have those two states - and others
01 Jul, 2013
-
3 min read
IRS Targeting Conservative Groups May Douse Enforcement
IRS Targeting Conservative Groups May Douse Enforcement
credit: Real Clear Politics Released by the Associated Press on Friday, an inspector general's report regarding the IRS revealed the agency had improperly targeted conservative-leaning groups that were filed tax-exempt under section 501(c) of the Tax Code. In order to be eligible for preferential tax treatment, a 501(c) organization needs to have limited election involvement, and the 2012 race prompted increased scrutiny on registered groups. According to the AP, organizations with 'Tea Party
13 May, 2013
-
2 min read
IRS Targeting Conservative Groups May Douse Enforcement
IRS Targeting Conservative Groups May Douse Enforcement
credit: Real Clear Politics Released by the Associated Press on Friday, an inspector general's report regarding the IRS revealed the agency had improperly targeted conservative-leaning groups that were filed tax-exempt under section 501(c) of the Tax Code. In order to be eligible for preferential tax treatment, a 501(c) organization needs to have limited election involvement, and the 2012 race prompted increased scrutiny on registered groups. According to the AP, organizations with 'Tea Party
13 May, 2013
-
2 min read