Martin Michaels

Martin Michaels is a Mint Press staff writer specializing in immigration, international affairs and social justice issues. A native New Yorker, Michaels graduated with a degree in international relations and democratization in the Middle East. He has traveled to Jordan, Egypt and Israel, conducting research and studying human rights issues there. Michaels has also worked in various positions with J Street and Occupy Wall Street, promoting peace and social justice. Contact Martin at [email protected] or follow Martin on Twitter at @MMichaelsMPN.

Is The Student Loan Bubble About To Burst?

In a move eerily reminiscent of the lead-up to 2007’s subprime mortgage crisis, big banks are shutting down their student loan programs.

With more than $1.2 trillion in collective student debt, Americans are more indebted than ever before and banks are beginning to realize that future generations of students will be unable to repay their loans. One by one, banks across the U.S. have been scaling back or canceling their student loan programs. JPMorgan Chase followed U.S. Bank this

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SEC To Require Transparency On Pay Gap Between CEOs, Average Employees

The Securities and Exchange Commission will soon follow through with an executive pay transparency requirement in the Dodd-Frank law.

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) could soon require Fortune 500 companies to publish CEO salaries compared against the wage of an average worker. Proponents claim that it’s a matter of transparency that would help illustrate the large, growing wage gap. Independent estimates by the AFL-CIO show that the average top corporate CEOs earned

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Indiana Court Rules Right-To-Work Unconstitutional

Controversial legislation weakening organized labor now heads to the state Supreme Court.

(AP/Michael Conroy)

Judge John Sedia of the Lake County Superior Court struck down Indiana’s right-to work law as unconstitutional Monday, a decision hailed by organized labor as a step toward repealing legislation many believe curbs the collective bargaining rights for unions. Indiana became the 23rd right-to work state in February 2012 when Gov. Mitch Daniels (R)

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Mental Health, Autism Spectrum Patients Struggle To Get Health Care Coverage

Americans suffering from mental health disorders often face difficulties finding the coverage they need.

One in five American adolescents -- comprising up to 12 million individuals -- experiences a mental health disorder each year, according to a study released earlier this year by the Center for Disease Control. As diagnoses increase, so do the costs for treatment, which stand at roughly $247 billion each year, according to the same study. This

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As AFL-CIO Convention Opens, Organized Labor Faces Unprecedented Challenges

With union membership at a 97-year low, the labor organization may seek new partnerships — and ditch the Democratic Party.

The AFL-CIO, an umbrella labor organization representing 57 unions and 12 million workers across the U.S. opened its annual convention in Los Angeles, Calif. this week. The Los Angeles Times reports that the 5,000 attendees will discuss a range of issue facing the American labor movement, including immigration reform, voting rights, racial justice

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The Pay Gap Between Men And Women Still Exists

Among doctors, women make over $50,000 less than their male counterparts on average, according to a new study.

On June 10, 1963 President John F. Kennedy signed the Equal Pay Act into law, a landmark piece of legislation aimed at leveling the pay gap between genders in American workplaces. It was hailed by many as an important precedent, but more than 50 years later, women still earn less than men, averaging just 81 cents for every dollar a man is paid,

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Charitable Giving Is Soaring — But Is It Effective?

Philanthropic donations are booming, but post-Great Recession poverty and inequity remain.

Year after year, the citizenry of the U.S. continues to be one of the most altruistic on earth, volunteering an average of 7.85 billion volunteer hours according to a report by the Corporation for National and Community Service. Although financial charitable donations dipped slightly in the years following the 2008 economic downturn, Americans

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