[{"publishDate":"2024-12-14","_updatedAt":"2024-12-13T21:56:02Z","category":"us-news","title":"Does America’s Tax Code Perpetuate Gender Inequality?","_rev":"mw31OwMEaa0zhVrXPyschk","visibility":"true","_type":"story","id":"YvKe5Y9O","body":[{"_type":"block","style":"normal","_key":"b5c8af7fc704","markDefs":[{"_type":"link","href":"https://www.vox.com/policy/390779/tax-wedding-marriage-joint-filing-women","_key":"3f991321715f"}],"children":[{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"It’s something we’re all compelled to do by April 15 each year, but few if any of us actually look forward to forking over a big chunk of our earnings to Uncle Sam. For some Americans, however, filing taxes is more than just a bummer — it’s a ","_key":"da2774a197a20"},{"text":"vestige","_key":"da2774a197a21","_type":"span","marks":["3f991321715f"]},{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":" of the nation’s patriarchal past.","_key":"da2774a197a22"}]},{"_type":"block","style":"normal","_key":"1b5d5409a799","markDefs":[],"children":[{"_key":"ff35dbdfd5040","_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":"An outdated policy?"}]},{"_type":"block","style":"normal","_key":"2df66936d879","markDefs":[],"children":[{"_key":"dfc9afff24dc0","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Nearly eight decades ago, the U.S. introduced joint filing for married couples. Though not explicitly stated as a goal, this option resulted in further limiting the professional ambitions of women since the spouse who earns less — often the wife — pays a higher tax rate than the higher-earning spouse."}]},{"markDefs":[],"children":[{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"And that built-in disincentive still exists. Even though married couples can choose to file separately, the net result of filing jointly typically is a lower overall tax bill.","_key":"57264346f44f0"}],"_type":"block","style":"normal","_key":"b928a9f55b2a"},{"style":"normal","_key":"d8c9a75ad508","markDefs":[],"children":[{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Gender equality activists have voiced opposition to this tax policy for decades, but","_key":"542e0e8d4d270"},{"marks":["strong"],"text":" the criticism has grown more acute","_key":"48a1a257a3e6","_type":"span"},{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":" in recent years. Many are calling on the U.S. to remove the joint filing option entirely, like a number of other nations around the world did long ago.","_key":"e23c46014644"}],"_type":"block"},{"_key":"b4bc7d034c01","markDefs":[],"children":[{"marks":[],"text":"Critics argue that taxing a woman’s earnings at a higher rate than her husband’s can impact her life in the short term by limiting the chance for career advancements and in the long-term by curbing her retirement savings.","_key":"e8fbcf9af3410","_type":"span"}],"_type":"block","style":"normal"},{"children":[{"text":"Will things change?","_key":"4c081156e3af0","_type":"span","marks":["strong"]}],"_type":"block","style":"normal","_key":"b3cfe63425bc","markDefs":[]},{"_type":"block","style":"normal","_key":"aa8f5cc9e621","markDefs":[],"children":[{"text":"Abolishing such a key component of the tax code would take some real effort by officials in D.C., and let’s face it, this issue isn’t near the top of the priority list. 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The rise of SUVs has coincided with this cultural quest, but fuel economy hasn’t been the only casualty.","_key":"e95314e622672","_type":"span","marks":[]}],"_type":"block","style":"normal","_key":"0099889abca2"},{"_type":"block","style":"normal","_key":"dfc38dc3cb8d","markDefs":[],"children":[{"text":"Pedestrians big and small","_key":"d480f8ac5aa40","_type":"span","marks":["strong"]}]},{"children":[{"_key":"e367cf778a270","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"In D.C. alone — and in 2021 alone — 20 individuals were killed when they were struck by a motor vehicle"},{"marks":["strong"],"text":" while walking or riding a bike","_key":"34a832be8482","_type":"span"},{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":". And one of those victims was 5-year-old Allie Hart.","_key":"b5fd5be0cb55"}],"_type":"block","style":"normal","_key":"0766ca252d6b","markDefs":[]},{"style":"normal","_key":"5cb8eb7313cf","markDefs":[],"children":[{"text":"Her mother has since become an advocate for safer streets, focusing particularly on protecting pedestrians from the massive automobiles they’ll encounter on the road.","_key":"ab117d30d19b0","_type":"span","marks":[]}],"_type":"block"},{"_type":"block","style":"normal","_key":"1b5b12b76ec4","markDefs":[],"children":[{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Nationwide, pedestrian fatalities reached the highest point in four decades two years ago and there’s no sign that the upward trend is subsiding. That’s due in part to the fact that today’s SUV and truck models are some of the biggest in history. Making matters worse, the prevailing design trend is boxy, which can reduce visibility.","_key":"91a7af3bed710"}]},{"_key":"c9e650b15710","markDefs":[],"children":[{"_key":"a685fdceb22d0","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Young children are "},{"marks":["strong"],"text":"especially vulnerable","_key":"67e1e7f321f5","_type":"span"},{"_key":"80f56d96e27a","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":" to these sprawling blindspots. That’s why Jessica Hart and her Families for Safe Streets organization is calling on lawmakers and regulators to include pedestrians in the equation when determining a vehicle’s safety rating."}],"_type":"block","style":"normal"},{"markDefs":[],"children":[{"text":"Making progress","_key":"0973faeb9d7a0","_type":"span","marks":["strong"]}],"_type":"block","style":"normal","_key":"905a52249333"},{"markDefs":[],"children":[{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Amid pressure from Hart’s group and others across the nation, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has confirmed that its New Car Assessment Program will be updated to ","_key":"1cb01fdfb23f0"},{"marks":["strong"],"text":"factor in pedestrian safety","_key":"f73f6a273fe1","_type":"span"},{"text":".","_key":"99135c344a6d","_type":"span","marks":[]}],"_type":"block","style":"normal","_key":"53b83f5b0036"},{"children":[{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"This move will put American regulators on par with their counterparts in Europe, where vehicle designs are already required to adhere to both driver and pedestrian safety standards.","_key":"a532267dd05d0"}],"_type":"block","style":"normal","_key":"69eae63cdf07","markDefs":[]},{"_type":"block","style":"normal","_key":"b4c586f59af7","markDefs":[],"children":[{"text":"While it should be seen as ","_key":"fd7fb91f7f790","_type":"span","marks":[]},{"_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":"a positive sign","_key":"6df1f936b41b"},{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":" that the U.S. assessment program will now take pedestrian safety into account, advocates say a lot more work needs to be done to address the troubling spike in pedestrian injuries and deaths.","_key":"bfd04cd04737"}]}],"visibility":"true","title":"As Vehicle Sizes Increase, So Does The Risk To Young Kids","_updatedAt":"2024-12-09T21:17:05Z","_createdAt":"2024-12-09T21:17:05Z","_rev":"wY2M0cMS7HxrcE9YGySN6J","_type":"story","slug":"/story/2024/12/as-vehicle-sizes-increase-so-does-the-risk-to-young-kids"},{"summary":"The latest ruling comes in the wake of a lengthy antitrust case.","category":"us-news","_createdAt":"2024-12-09T00:49:17Z","_type":"story","title":"Google Is In Hot Water With Regulators (Again)","_id":"66b20314-b9ee-4771-90a5-54779bf5c9f8","_rev":"764sr03H0X2J4ufGYCda8w","body":[{"children":[{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Just a few months after a judge ruled that Google’s search engine constituted a monopoly, the Big Tech titan is now ","_key":"5ab5e259b6950"},{"_type":"span","marks":["77b22ace8a58"],"text":"facing","_key":"5ab5e259b6951"},{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":" a bureaucratic setback.","_key":"5ab5e259b6952"}],"_type":"block","style":"normal","_key":"3928ded09ea5","markDefs":[{"_type":"link","href":"https://www.theverge.com/2024/12/7/24315557/google-payment-federal-supervision-cfpb-lawsuit","_key":"77b22ace8a58"}]},{"children":[{"_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":"Time to pay up","_key":"e7f4e967ee130"}],"_type":"block","style":"normal","_key":"beeab82ed872","markDefs":[]},{"markDefs":[],"children":[{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"This time around, it’s Google Payment Corp. that is under the magnifying glass of authorities. Specifically, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau released a statement late last week that the division was placed ","_key":"e3e1642e56580"},{"_key":"d3f9f35a5596","_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":"under the supervision"},{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":" of federal regulators.","_key":"47e01401b0b9"}],"_type":"block","style":"normal","_key":"2385713690b6"},{"markDefs":[],"children":[{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"If the action goes through, the CFPB could have the authority to monitor and even dig into the actions of Google Payment Corp., actions similar to those taken on banks that have received similar rulings.","_key":"0662c235808a0"}],"_type":"block","style":"normal","_key":"40531e82143a"},{"markDefs":[],"children":[{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"For its part, Google was quick to file a lawsuit seeking to block the order from taking effect.","_key":"1d73d674742e0"}],"_type":"block","style":"normal","_key":"7e06b1510006"},{"style":"normal","_key":"9dcd2b5bf4d0","markDefs":[],"children":[{"_key":"66bfcc3f4c5c0","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"A series of customer complaints are reportedly behind the CFPB’s interest in the payment platform, and a probe led to the agency’s conclusion that Google Payment Corp. "},{"text":"repeatedly fell short","_key":"7ae5eea7068f","_type":"span","marks":["strong"]},{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":" when it came to resolving errors and preventing fraudulent transactions.","_key":"ae63410cfc11"}],"_type":"block"},{"_type":"block","style":"normal","_key":"17b67941dcb9","markDefs":[],"children":[{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Regulators made it clear, however, that none of this should be seen as proof that Google is “guilty of wrongdoing.”","_key":"2089e290f6600"}]},{"style":"normal","_key":"6de6396ee906","markDefs":[],"children":[{"_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":"Making the case","_key":"ef56efbe9c120"}],"_type":"block"},{"children":[{"text":"In addition to filing a lawsuit, Google is pleading its case in the court of public opinion. 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Google recently rolled out a new policy that temporarily precludes businesses from receiving new reviews after a fake review is identified on a Google Maps profile.","_key":"6f0357455ffa0","_type":"span","marks":[]}]},{"style":"normal","_key":"17e38eb60382","markDefs":[],"children":[{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Firefox offers a feature on its web browser that is designed to","_key":"45c96534a4b50"},{"marks":["strong"],"text":" identify dishonest or fake reviews","_key":"9d543070dceb","_type":"span"},{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":".","_key":"6c87004960e5"}],"_type":"block"},{"markDefs":[],"children":[{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"But the FTC clearly believes its regulatory might is needed to make a more significant impact on the problem.","_key":"35a3d43c43870"}],"_type":"block","style":"normal","_key":"5c5e7ee85d02"},{"_key":"c0e09ea5fc61","markDefs":[],"children":[{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"“By strengthening the FTC’s toolkit to fight deceptive advertising, the final rule will","_key":"5844b83958860"},{"text":" protect Americans from getting cheated","_key":"a3f07da66f98","_type":"span","marks":["strong"]},{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":", put businesses that unlawfully game the system on notice, and promote markets that are fair, honest, and competitive,” explained FTC Chair Lina M. 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As Google search continued to grow, crowding out new and old rivals alike, the company began receiving ","_key":"6ba8ed4206750"},{"_key":"6ba8ed4206751","_type":"span","marks":["25f6df7472da"],"text":"antitrust"},{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":" complaints.","_key":"6ba8ed4206752"}],"_type":"block","style":"normal","_key":"09e85d766956","markDefs":[{"href":"https://finance.yahoo.com/news/googles-new-antitrust-defense-is-ai-140341996.html","_key":"25f6df7472da","_type":"link"}]},{"_key":"047d9c8a6114","markDefs":[],"children":[{"_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":"Times are changing","_key":"e71eb64e3e970"}],"_type":"block","style":"normal"},{"children":[{"marks":[],"text":"As things stand, the Department of Justice has indicated that Google could be forced to break into smaller companies in order to no longer be classified as a monopoly. But there’s been no such ruling, so the company is still fighting back tooth and nail.","_key":"e2e83d6905160","_type":"span"}],"_type":"block","style":"normal","_key":"bf1fda470d8a","markDefs":[]},{"markDefs":[],"children":[{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Even before addressing the matter in court, Google published a blog post that seemed to ","_key":"116e05edef040"},{"_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":"accuse the federal agency ","_key":"f41464a4effd"},{"marks":[],"text":"of taking a shortsighted view on the matter.","_key":"c5b471d043ee","_type":"span"}],"_type":"block","style":"normal","_key":"d1c7834aa96a"},{"markDefs":[],"children":[{"marks":[],"text":"Essentially, the company’s position is that since AI appears to be on the cusp of redefining search engines, there is no real threat of Google becoming a 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But that’s exactly what complainants are ","_key":"0540b5fb582c0","_type":"span"},{"text":"accusing","_key":"0540b5fb582c1","_type":"span","marks":["1252953c0038"]},{"text":" a company called RealPage (as well as many apartment complexes that use its software) of doing.","_key":"0540b5fb582c2","_type":"span","marks":[]}],"_type":"block","style":"normal"},{"children":[{"_key":"8c1cfce07e1e0","_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":"Digging into the lawsuit"}],"_type":"block","style":"normal","_key":"d0c395b9a93f","markDefs":[]},{"markDefs":[],"children":[{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"The U.S. Justice Department filed a civil suit against the Texas-based company over the capabilities of its algorithm, claiming that it is being used to ","_key":"a04db6d8ed110"},{"_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":"coordinate prices among properties","_key":"a5024845ecea"},{"text":" at the expense of increasingly cash-strapped renters.","_key":"7cf1f132b4fb","_type":"span","marks":[]}],"_type":"block","style":"normal","_key":"4c729c51caa5"},{"_type":"block","style":"normal","_key":"8e6d5e5f6eb9","markDefs":[],"children":[{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Here’s how it reportedly works in a nutshell: RealPage’s proprietary algorithm keeps tabs on all of the lease details provided by its clients and shares that information in the form of suggested rental prices, thus allowing apartment complexes far and wide to coordinate their rates.","_key":"6d3137ece5c10"}]},{"children":[{"marks":[],"text":"And with a whopping ","_key":"48e4d3f134b80","_type":"span"},{"_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":"80% stake in the software market","_key":"6ec2e73812c8"},{"text":" within the apartment rental segment, that means roughly 3 million rental units across the U.S. could be involved in this alleged scheme.","_key":"a81d58deed0c","_type":"span","marks":[]}],"_type":"block","style":"normal","_key":"9972665c465c","markDefs":[]},{"markDefs":[],"children":[{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco asserted that “RealPage has found a modern way to violate a century-old law through systematic coordination of rental housing prices.”","_key":"1107e408289a0"}],"_type":"block","style":"normal","_key":"8eced75bf281"},{"children":[{"_key":"1a08679100960","_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":"RealPage defends itself"}],"_type":"block","style":"normal","_key":"5c146bd6371d","markDefs":[]},{"children":[{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"For its part, the company claims that it hasn’t done anything wrong. 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The term refers to people who target typically uninhabited homes and begin living in them without the permission of their owners."}],"_type":"block","style":"normal","_key":"20215c2b98a8","markDefs":[]},{"style":"normal","_key":"b9f7a148d4c8","markDefs":[],"children":[{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"And in some cases,","_key":"bde267dab3590"},{"_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":" it can be a huge legal hassle","_key":"2f838a96928e"},{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":" to evict the squatters once they move in.","_key":"c327b10a2af8"}],"_type":"block"},{"markDefs":[{"_type":"link","href":"https://www.foxnews.com/us/florida-other-states-have-signed-bills-protect-homeowners-against-squatters","_key":"10e0e2bd3ec7"}],"children":[{"_key":"c0e9ffbb64b50","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"In "},{"_type":"span","marks":["10e0e2bd3ec7"],"text":"response","_key":"c0e9ffbb64b51"},{"text":" to the trend, a handful of states have begun passing new laws aimed at making it easier and less expensive for homeowners to force squatters out.","_key":"c0e9ffbb64b52","_type":"span","marks":[]}],"_type":"block","style":"normal","_key":"04f6e012c7a8"},{"markDefs":[],"children":[{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Let’s take a look at how three southern states are implementing laws that their supporters hope will catch on nationwide.","_key":"e2b7d7e07cea0"}],"_type":"block","style":"normal","_key":"0bc35a48358a"},{"level":1,"_type":"block","style":"normal","_key":"53cdfeae223c","listItem":"bullet","markDefs":[],"children":[{"_key":"0f3735720ed10","_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":"Alabama"},{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":": Gov. Kay Ivey signed a bill that went into effect earlier this year, which increases the criminal penalties against individuals found guilty of illegally occupying a home and/or using false documents to indicate they are permitted to reside in a home. The new law also empowers police to expedite the eviction process against squatters.","_key":"5cac15f9416f"}]},{"style":"normal","_key":"984d76e6afce","listItem":"bullet","markDefs":[],"children":[{"_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":"Florida","_key":"8c2cf7196ada0"},{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":": Although it won’t be implemented until next month, the Sunshine State’s approach has been among the strictest in the nation by essentially repealing all of the existing safeguards that squatters have cited in their efforts to stave off eviction. Gov. 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Las Vegas has changed a lot since then, but this","_key":"8b0eb3b948a20","_type":"span"},{"_key":"c0e057e82d03","_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":" landmark casino and hotel "},{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"remained a ","_key":"75e64128bdc3"},{"marks":["b48f908a52f1"],"text":"constant","_key":"8b0eb3b948a21","_type":"span"},{"_key":"8b0eb3b948a22","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":" throughout the subsequent decades."}],"_type":"block","style":"normal","_key":"244e1618aed2"},{"markDefs":[],"children":[{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"That era has now come to an end.","_key":"06fec90bb8770"}],"_type":"block","style":"normal","_key":"6b844bd02d3b"},{"_key":"186c1dde457f","markDefs":[],"children":[{"_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":"A star-studded legacy","_key":"d66dc40dd1900"}],"_type":"block","style":"normal"},{"markDefs":[],"children":[{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"When the Tropicana first opened, it was","_key":"0878bece70fd0"},{"_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":" three stories tall and had 300 rooms","_key":"102ee32ac011"},{"_key":"25de9ac5a17d","_type":"span","marks":[],"text":". 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Over the years, the Tropicana built on its nickname — the Tiffany of the Strip — by welcoming high rollers with an elegant experience and offering performances by some of the biggest stars of the day.","_key":"6e4d9c4fac39"}]},{"style":"normal","_key":"18c9814c5df5","markDefs":[],"children":[{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"A few of the","_key":"55cca90c4f760"},{"_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":" most notable acts","_key":"0fb5de7ad484"},{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":" to play its showroom included:","_key":"6b8c83d5ece9"}],"_type":"block"},{"style":"normal","_key":"23efa2f176b0","listItem":"bullet","markDefs":[],"children":[{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Frank Sinatra","_key":"de16b7cf69e80"}],"level":1,"_type":"block"},{"_type":"block","style":"normal","_key":"1c97430be051","listItem":"bullet","markDefs":[],"children":[{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Elizabeth Taylor","_key":"cfcdfa3cd31c0"}],"level":1},{"style":"normal","_key":"ee92688229dd","listItem":"bullet","markDefs":[],"children":[{"marks":[],"text":"Gladys Knight","_key":"862ef7f1e6980","_type":"span"}],"level":1,"_type":"block"},{"_type":"block","style":"normal","_key":"73c07f1688a5","listItem":"bullet","markDefs":[],"children":[{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Wayne Newton","_key":"a7d3845b04e30"}],"level":1},{"markDefs":[],"children":[{"marks":[],"text":"Debbie Reynolds","_key":"b0b723d7b86e0","_type":"span"}],"level":1,"_type":"block","style":"normal","_key":"58472e708f1e","listItem":"bullet"},{"_type":"block","style":"normal","_key":"f5f287d5e489","listItem":"bullet","markDefs":[],"children":[{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"Sammy Davis Jr.","_key":"8899a6cc476c0"}],"level":1},{"_type":"block","style":"normal","_key":"4431c9eb2206","markDefs":[],"children":[{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"It was even good enough","_key":"1b896cd3cdcf0"},{"text":" for James Bond himself","_key":"a332f25d978a","_type":"span","marks":["strong"]},{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":" in the 1971 classic “Diamonds Are Forever.”","_key":"4d62c1f360e1"}]},{"_key":"ba9ece867bfc","markDefs":[],"children":[{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"But times have changed, and the Tropicana now only exists in the memories of those who have experienced it.","_key":"fa2a6829fb390"}],"_type":"block","style":"normal"},{"markDefs":[],"children":[{"_type":"span","marks":["strong"],"text":"“It’s ran its course”","_key":"5fa009c180270"}],"_type":"block","style":"normal","_key":"c5dc5148f62e"},{"markDefs":[],"children":[{"_type":"span","marks":[],"text":"So why was yesterday the last for this historic location? 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