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.

Could Larry Summers Lead The US To Another Financial Collapse?

The scandal-ridden former Harvard president — and champion of risky deregulation — is being considered for the Federal Reserve.

Martin Michaels
Par Martin Michaels

In the ongoing speculation on who will replace Ben Bernanke as the chairperson of the Federal Reserve, it appears to be a two-horse race, with Larry Summers, former Treasury Secretary under Bill Clinton, and Janet Yellen, currently second-in-command at the Federal Reserve, vying for the position. The appointment will determine who takes over the

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States Refuse Medicaid Expansion, Leaving Millions Without Coverage

Partisan hardline opposition to Obamacare is trumping what many observers sees as a win-win deal for states.

Martin Michaels
Par Martin Michaels

Roughly 5.5 million Americans living across 21 states lack health care coverage that could be provided if states agreed to an expansion of the Medicaid program. The expansion is an incentive built into the Affordable Care Act (ACA) that was projected to extend healthcare coverage at little cost to state governments, which would have to cover a

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Researchers: Poverty Lowers IQ

Those who suggest that individuals with a poor work ethic are the source of societal poverty have it backwards, reports a new study.

Martin Michaels
Par Martin Michaels
FILE - A man who lost his job two months after being hurt on the job, works to collect money for his family on a Miami street corner. (AP Photo/J Pat Carter)

A new study has found that the stresses of life in poverty leave people limited in their ability to solve problems and complete complex tasks. Researchers contributing to the new study “Poverty Impedes Cognitive Function,” published Friday in Science magazine, say that living in poverty is equivalent to losing 13 IQ points, losing an entire night’s

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Landowners Shorted Billions In Fracking Revenue From Oil Companies

Pennsylvania residents leasing land the fracking companies report far less payment than they had been promised.

Martin Michaels
Par Martin Michaels

“They said you’re going to be a millionaire in a couple of years, but none of that has happened,” said Don Feusner, an owner of a dairy cattle farm in Northern Pennsylvania. “I guess we’re expected to just take whatever they want to give us.” Like many landowners in Pennsylvania, Feusner was promised generous royalties from the natural gas wells

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Are Gun Buyback Programs Worth The Investment?

A look at the pros and cons of programs that give cash to those who voluntarily turn in their firearms.

Martin Michaels
Par Martin Michaels

The Daytona Police Department collected 32 guns last week, not through typical police seizures, but through a gun buyback program that offers citizens gift cards in exchange for their unwanted firearms. Gun buyback programs are nothing new, but have increased in popularity since the mass shooting in Newtown, Conn. resulted in the deaths of 27, most

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Can Iran Really Sue the United States Over 1953 Coup?

Declassified CIA documents showed the US played a role in overthrowing Iran democratically elected president. In response, Iran’s 290-seat house approved a debate over a bill to bring the US to the International Criminal Court.

Martin Michaels
Par Martin Michaels
U.S. President Harry Truman, left, and Iranian Prime Minister Mohammad Mossadegh, right, stand together on Oct. 23, 1951. The coup d'état that led to the democratically elected Mossadegh's ouster two years later was orchestrated by the U.S. CIA, declassified documents confirm. (Photo/Abbie Rowe via Wikimedia Commons)

Long suspected by the international community, the U.S. support for the coup was confirmed earlier this month when declassified CIA documents showed the U.S. played a role in overthrowing Mosaddeq. In response to this announcement, Iran’s 290-seat house approved urgent debate of the bill Tuesday in a session broadcast on state radio. One of

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Islamophobic Attack On French Girl Spotlights Ban On Religious Garb

A French teenager attempted suicide after neo-Nazi skinheads attacked her and ripped off her Islamic headscarf.

Martin Michaels
Par Martin Michaels

A French teenager attempted suicide this week after being attacked by Nazi skinheads who targeted her for wearing the Islamic veil. The incident is the latest in an ongoing national debate on French laws banning citizens from wearing obvious religious symbols in public schools and face coverings in public spaces. The debate over veiling in France

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