Latest news with #CenterforAmericanProgress
Yahoo
21 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Homeowners reeling after State Farm allegedly stalls critical wildfire claims for months: 'A longstanding fight'
Homeowners in the Los Angeles area are suing a popular insurance company for allegedly mishandling claims during a crisis. Thousands of Pasadena homes were destroyed by the Eaton wildfire. Months later, many homeowners are unable to return, and their insurance companies aren't making the process any easier. Though Rossana Valverde's home is still standing, she and her family are unable to move back in as tests revealed "high levels of arsenic, lead and nickel," according to AlterNet. State Farm has been processing her $300,000 claim for over 100 days. Rossana isn't alone — fire survivors are banding together to sue State Farm and other insurance companies for limiting coverage, hiking rates, and dropping policyholders after the fires. Wildfires are growing more intense, and the climate crisis may be to blame. The warming planet creates ideal conditions for wildfires: dry vegetation, hot weather, and strong winds. According to the Center for American Progress, "North American wildfires are starting earlier in the year, lasting longer, and burning larger swaths of land." As more homes become susceptible to wildfires and other extreme weather events, insurance companies are raising prices and dropping coverage. It's not just California. Homeowners across the country, from Utah to Florida, are experiencing drastic increases in their annual insurance premiums, and some policies have been dropped without warning. Amy Bach, the president of nonprofit organization United Policyholders, has been fighting to protect insurance customers for over 30 years. She called the claims process, especially those involving smoke damage, "a longstanding fight," per AlterNet, but it's a fight she and others won't give up on. In California, Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara issued a one-year moratorium to prevent insurance companies from dropping coverage in affected areas. Other lawmakers are taking notes and proposing laws to prevent insurance companies from significantly increasing rates or issuing nonrenewals during times of crisis. Do you think America is in a housing crisis? Definitely Not sure No way Only in some cities Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Fast Company
3 days ago
- Business
- Fast Company
The two kinds of people in the world—and why it matters for leadership
One provocative assertion I often make when teaching is that there are two kinds of people in the world: those who have hearts and those who don't. Students and executives usually chuckle awkwardly at this statement, wondering where I am going. I then share that many leaders look at changing technology and changing markets and realize that a lot of jobs in their companies will inevitably be eliminated within the next few years, and it's not hard to predict which jobs will go away. The question is how the executives react to this realization. Leaders who 'have hearts' experience empathy for those currently in jobs that will be disappearing, seeing individual faces and hearing individual names in their minds. Such leaders think of the men and women in their organizations as flesh- and-blood humans. They worry about employees losing jobs that feed their children, keep roofs over their heads, and provide health insurance, not to mention (hopefully) supplying a sense of satisfaction and meaning. Other leaders see the job elimination through a cooler lens, less concerned for those affected. They embrace 'creative destruction' as a fundamental aspect of how capitalistic systems work. Austrian economist Joseph Schumpeter wrote about the inevitability that new technologies and advancements will destroy what came before. For instance, there used to be great demand for skilled telegraph operators and folks who could add columns of numbers quickly with just a pencil—until more cost-effective technologies devalued those skills. Leaders with this perspective focus not on the hardships of the unemployed but on the numerous new jobs created by the same forces of change. They believe employees simply must adapt or be left behind, and there's no point in getting upset about it—everyone owns their individual career. They see the latest disruptions as just the continuation of the human experience, going all the way back to our hunter- gatherer ancestors. Still others may only care about job cuts for the sake of cost reduction, never mind the 'creative' part of the destruction. For the purposes of Systems Leadership, it doesn't matter which type of person you are in my (admittedly reductive) shorthand. You need to invest in your people whether you have a heart or not, for at least three major reasons. 1. It's cheaper and easier to retrain than replace Studies show that it often costs less to reskill a current employee than to recruit, hire, and train a new one. According to the Society for Human Resource Management, finding and training a new employee can cost as much as six to nine months of their salary. For instance, if a worker earns $60,000, the company could end up spending an additional $30,000 to $45,000 to replace them. The Center for American Progress estimates the costs can be even higher, depending on the role. This means reskilling an existing employee is not just the right thing to do, but often the more cost-effective strategy. 2. Investing in people boosts morale and discretionary effort When a company invests in retraining its employees, it sends a powerful message. Imagine the morale boost when employees learn that their company values them enough to send them for specialized training in AI. Now contrast that with hearing that the company is posting external job openings for AI specialists, and layoffs are on the horizon to fund the new hires. The impact on employee enthusiasm and engagement is profound. Continuing education and upskilling are crucial for fostering loyalty, enthusiasm, and a productive workplace culture. 3. Institutional knowledge is an invaluable asset Many leaders prioritize fresh ideas, new talent, and innovation. But systems leaders understand the unique value of institutional knowledge—the insights and perspectives that only come from experience. While hard data often drives decisions, there's immense value in recognizing the importance of those who have navigated the complex challenges of the past. Their insights can be the key to solving future problems. Whether they 'have hearts' or not, leaders must see employees as a resource to be invested in to advance the needs of the company. Systems Leaders take advantage of cost-saving opportunities without treating their people like replaceable cogs in a machine. At the same time, however, they believe fully in holding people accountable to high standards. They would say it's a false choice to frame strong management and compassionate management— hard heads and soft hearts— as opposites. Great leaders aspire to both.
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
4 Things the Middle Class Needs To Do Now To Thrive in the Trump Economy
On the campaign trail in 2024, President Donald Trump made a number of promises to the middle class. He promised that, if elected president for a second term, he would ensure the end of inflation, slash energy and electricity bills, and put a temporary cap on credit card interest rates. Trump also promised cheaper groceries; the list goes on. Explore More: Find Out: We're not even 150 days into President Trump's four-year term. It's far too early to tell whether Trump will succeed in delivering on these promises in full. But at this moment, many middle-class Americans are concerned about life in the U.S. becoming even more expensive. Tariffs, for example, could cost American households $5,200 annually, according to the Center for American Progress. Putting fear, doubt and even high hopes aside, we must ask: 'What can the middle class do right now to thrive in the Trump economy?' Consider the following expert-provided moves to make. Sean Babin, certified financial planner (CFP), CEO and lead financial advisor at Babin Wealth Management, highlighted the many challenges staring down the middle class right now: Rising home prices, rising childcare costs, rising education costs, rising healthcare costs and rising food costs. It's a lot to keep up with and can push you into high-interest debt if you're not amply prepared. Babin recommended having an emergency fund with at least three to six months' of living expenses in it. If you can set more aside than that (in a HYSA), absolutely do that. Suze Orman champions an emergency fund that will float you for 12 months. Be Aware: After the worst of the pandemic passed, Babin noticed a type of spend-happy FOMO rage among the middle class. ''You only live once' became a rallying cry across America,' Babin said. 'After being locked down for over a year, people were eager to make up for lost time, traveling, dining out, splurging on experiences, and buying things they'd long postponed. This wave of so-called 'revenge spending' saw many consumers throwing caution to the wind, often spending beyond their means. From blueberries to plane tickets, demand soared, and so did prices. The prevailing mindset was: Put it on the credit card and deal with it later. But as the bills piled up, so did the debt and its consequences are now being felt.' The middle class must reduce their spending if they want to survive these economic challenges. Chiefly, they must eliminate credit card debt. In 2023, the average outstanding debt per cardholder in the U.S. was about $6,088 and the average interest rate on credit cards is 21.47%, according to TransUnion. And credit card debt delinquency has risen since then. So, while we all kinda, sorta know that credit card debt is not good, we don't necessarily recognize how horrifically lethal it is. Yes, to some extent, the middle class can't be blamed for their credit card habit. We're fed promotional bait from credit card companies day and night, and even if we're pulling in six figures, we're living paycheck to paycheck or close to it. But we have to be real with ourselves. Putting food on the table is not the sole cause of credit card debt in the U.S; it's also things like buying luxury goods and electronics. 'Carrying a balance on a credit card is a big no no that will keep you trapped in the middle class,' Babin said. 'Have a plan to pay off high-interest rate debt as soon as possible. Might have to say no to some family vacations and nights out. It takes work to pay yourself first.' You have to invest and you have to invest in a variety of assets. 'Stocks, real estate, gold, your own business,' said Joseph Camberato, CEO at National Business Capital. 'The middle class often gets stuck trying to save their way to stability, but that's not enough anymore. The wealthy get wealthier because their money is always working for them. They buy things that grow in value: Assets that rise when prices rise. Their money is working for them while they sleep. Investing becomes their second job and focus. That's how they stay ahead of inflation. If you're not investing, you're falling behind.' And remember, a tumultuous market is still a good one to invest in. Do your homework, stay calm and be in it for the long haul — and stop putting this off. Editor's note on political coverage: GOBankingRates is nonpartisan and strives to cover all aspects of the economy objectively and present balanced reports on politically focused finance stories. You can find more coverage of this topic on More From GOBankingRates 4 Affordable Car Brands You Won't Regret Buying in 2025 How Much Money Is Needed To Be Considered Middle Class in Every State? This article originally appeared on 4 Things the Middle Class Needs To Do Now To Thrive in the Trump Economy
Japan Today
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Japan Today
Second Oval Office ambush by Trump could make foreign leaders think twice
By Matt Spetalnick, David Brunnstrom and Daphne Psaledakis U.S. President Donald Trump meets South African President Cyril Ramaphosa in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington on Wednesday. U.S. President Donald Trump turned down the lights in the Oval Office on Wednesday and made South African President Cyril Ramaphosa the target of his latest geopolitical ambush of a foreign leader in front of television cameras. In an extraordinary scene clearly orchestrated by the White House for maximum effect and reminiscent of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's visit in February, Trump confronted Ramaphosa with false claims of genocide against South African whites, including allegations of mass killings and land seizures. It was another display of Trump's apparent readiness to use the Oval Office, historically reserved as a place of honor for foreign dignitaries, to embarrass visitors from less-powerful nations or hold their feet to the fire on matters he is fixated upon. Trump's unprecedented use of the presidential setting for such displays could prompt foreign leaders to think twice about accepting his invitations and risk public humiliation, a reluctance that could make it harder to cement ties with friends and partners that are also being courted by archrival China. Patrick Gaspard, a former U.S. ambassador to South Africa under President Barack Obama, said Trump had turned the meeting with Ramaphosa into a "shameful spectacle" and "savaged him with some fake snuff film and violent rhetoric." "Engaging on Trump's terms never goes well for anyone," Gaspard, now a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress think-tank in Washington, wrote in a post on X. The Oval Office meeting had been billed as a chance to reset strained relations between the U.S. and South Africa, especially after Trump's imposition of tariffs, and to defuse escalating tensions over his unfounded accusations of "white genocide" and offer to resettle white minority Afrikaners. After a cordial start to the meeting, Trump, a former reality TV star, ordered the lights dimmed and showed a video and printed articles purporting to be evidence that white South Africans are being persecuted. Ramaphosa, clearly prepared to counter Trump's accusations but unlikely to have expected the political theater, was attentive and composed as he sought to refute what was presented by his host, but he stopped short of directly challenging or criticizing a U.S. president with a reputation for being thin-skinned. 'I'm sorry I don't have a plane to give you,' Ramaphosa quipped with a smile, referring to the luxury jetliner Qatar has offered Trump as a replacement for Air Force One. His spokesperson Vincent Magwenya told South African broadcaster Newzroom Afrika that "you could see President Ramaphosa was being provoked." "You could see he was having his eye pulled, and he did not fall for the trap," Magwenya said. The White House did not immediately respond to a request on whether the meeting was set up to put Ramaphosa in the hot seat and whether that might discourage other foreign leaders from such visits. Cameron Hudson, a senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies think-tank in Washington, said that while the televised portion of the meeting was a circus, "it never crossed the line into anger or vitriol, so it didn't go off the cliff." That mood stood in sharp contrast to Trump's meeting just months ago with Zelenskyy, which devolved into a shouting match involving both the president and Vice President JD Vance. Zelenskyy, much like Ramaphosa, was there to try to heal a rift in relations and in Ukraine's case maintain U.S. military assistance to Kyiv in the war against Russia's invading forces. But the meeting quickly went off the rails, with Trump accusing Zelenskyy of being disrespectful and gambling with a potential World War Three, and Vance charging that the Ukrainian leader had not shown enough appreciation for U.S. support. The contentious nature of the meeting sent shockwaves through the NATO alliance backing Ukraine's fight against Russia. There may have been less at stake in Trump's meeting on Wednesday with Ramaphosa, but South Africa is a major political and economic player in Africa that counts China as its biggest trading partner, with the U.S. coming in second. South Africa, which endured centuries of harsh discrimination against Black people during colonialism and apartheid before becoming a multi-party democracy in 1994 under Nelson Mandela, rejects Trump's allegations. Trump's confrontation appeared tailored for parts of his political base, particularly the far-right and white nationalist segments that have long pushed the narrative of a 'white genocide' in South Africa. By showcasing unverified claims of violence against white farmers and framing land reform as racial persecution, Trump tapped talking points popular in U.S. right-wing extremist circles. Since returning to office in January, Trump has canceled aid, expelled South Africa's ambassador and resettled some white minority Afrikaners based on racial discrimination claims Pretoria says are baseless. The program has been divisive as Trump has been largely blocking refugee admissions from the rest of the world. A new South African land reform law, aimed at redressing the injustices of apartheid, allows for expropriations without compensation when in the public interest, for example if land is lying fallow. No such expropriation has taken place, and any order can be challenged in court. 'If anybody doubts that the Zelenskiy incident was not completely stage managed by the White House, I think the scales should fall from their eyes," British foreign affairs commentator Tim Marshall told Times Radio in London. © Thomson Reuters 2025.
Time of India
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Second Oval Office ambush by Trump could make foreign leaders think twice
U.S. President Donald Trump turned down the lights in the Oval Office on Wednesday and made South African President Cyril Ramaphosa the target of his latest geopolitical ambush of a foreign leader in front of television cameras. In an extraordinary scene clearly orchestrated by the White House for maximum effect and reminiscent of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy's visit in February, Trump confronted Ramaphosa with false claims of genocide against South African whites, including allegations of mass killings and land seizures. It was another display of Trump's apparent readiness to use the Oval Office, historically reserved as a place of honor for foreign dignitaries, to embarrass visitors from less-powerful nations or hold their feet to the fire on matters he is fixated upon. Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Seniors Baffled by This New Brush-On "Pen" for Toenail Fungus Lunavia Learn More Trump's unprecedented use of the presidential setting for such displays could prompt foreign leaders to think twice about accepting his invitations and risk public humiliation, a reluctance that could make it harder to cement ties with friends and partners that are also being courted by archrival China. Patrick Gaspard, a former U.S. ambassador to South Africa under President Barack Obama, said Trump had turned the meeting with Ramaphosa into a "shameful spectacle" and "savaged him with some fake snuff film and violent rhetoric." Live Events "Engaging on Trump's terms never goes well for anyone," Gaspard, now a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress think-tank in Washington, wrote in a post on X. The Oval Office meeting had been billed as a chance to reset strained relations between the U.S. and South Africa, especially after Trump's imposition of tariffs, and to defuse escalating tensions over his unfounded accusations of "white genocide" and offer to resettle white minority Afrikaners. After a cordial start to the meeting, Trump, a former reality TV star, ordered the lights dimmed and showed a video and printed articles purporting to be evidence that white South Africans are being persecuted. Ramaphosa, clearly prepared to counter Trump's accusations but unlikely to have expected the political theater, was attentive and composed as he sought to refute what was presented by his host, but he stopped short of directly challenging or criticizing a U.S. president with a reputation for being thin-skinned. "I'm sorry I don't have a plane to give you," Ramaphosa quipped with a smile, referring to the luxury jetliner Qatar has offered Trump as a replacement for Air Force One. His spokesperson Vincent Magwenya told South African broadcaster Newzroom Afrika that "you could see President Ramaphosa was being provoked." "You could see he was having his eye pulled, and he did not fall for the trap," Magwenya said. The White House did not immediately respond to a request on whether the meeting was set up to put Ramaphosa in the hot seat and whether that might discourage other foreign leaders from such visits. Cameron Hudson, a senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies think-tank in Washington, said that while the televised portion of the meeting was a circus, "it never crossed the line into anger or vitriol, so it didn't go off the cliff." ZELENSKIY-TRUMP SHOUTING MATCH That mood stood in sharp contrast to Trump's meeting just months ago with Zelenskiy, which devolved into a shouting match involving both the president and Vice President JD Vance. Zelenskiy, much like Ramaphosa, was there to try to heal a rift in relations and in Ukraine's case maintain U.S. military assistance to Kyiv in the war against Russia's invading forces. But the meeting quickly went off the rails, with Trump accusing Zelenskiy of being disrespectful and gambling with a potential World War Three, and Vance charging that the Ukrainian leader had not shown enough appreciation for U.S. support. The contentious nature of the meeting sent shockwaves through the NATO alliance backing Ukraine's fight against Russia. There may have been less at stake in Trump's meeting on Wednesday with Ramaphosa, but South Africa is a major political and economic player in Africa that counts China as its biggest trading partner, with the U.S. coming in second. South Africa, which endured centuries of harsh discrimination against Black people during colonialism and apartheid before becoming a multi-party democracy in 1994 under Nelson Mandela, rejects Trump's allegations. Trump's confrontation appeared tailored for parts of his political base, particularly the far-right and white nationalist segments that have long pushed the narrative of a "white genocide" in South Africa. By showcasing unverified claims of violence against white farmers and framing land reform as racial persecution, Trump tapped talking points popular in U.S. right-wing extremist circles. Since returning to office in January, Trump has canceled aid, expelled South Africa's ambassador and resettled some white minority Afrikaners based on racial discrimination claims Pretoria says are baseless. The program has been divisive as Trump has been largely blocking refugee admissions from the rest of the world. A new South African land reform law, aimed at redressing the injustices of apartheid, allows for expropriations without compensation when in the public interest, for example if land is lying fallow. No such expropriation has taken place, and any order can be challenged in court. "If anybody doubts that the Zelenskiy incident was not completely stage managed by the White House, I think the scales should fall from their eyes," British foreign affairs commentator Tim Marshall told Times Radio in London.
