Author: Reporter

Attacks on the “Black Smithsonian” by Trump are seen as an effort to whitewash racism in U.S. history

President Donald Trump’s order accusing the Smithsonian Institution of not reflecting American history notes correctly that the country’s Founding Fathers declared that “all men are created equal.” But it does not mention that the founders enshrined slavery into the U.S. Constitution and declared enslaved persons as three-fifths of a person for the purpose of the Census. Civil rights advocates, historians, and Black political leaders sharply rebuked Trump for his order, entitled “Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History.” They argued that his executive order targeting the Smithsonian Institution is his administration’s latest move to downplay how race, racism, and...

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Census data shows how Americans with Middle Eastern and Hispanic ethnicity differ in racial identity

As the U.S. Census Bureau gets public feedback about how it should tally people into new race and ethnicity groups, the agency has released new research reflecting how U.S. residents from different backgrounds regard their racial and ethnic identities. The U.S. government changed how it categorizes people by race and ethnicity in early 2024 to more accurately count residents who identify as Hispanic and of Middle Eastern and North African heritage. Before this year, the categories had not been changed in 27 years. Under the revisions, questions about race and ethnicity that previously were asked separately on forms will...

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Researchers find multiracial boom in 2020 census driven by classification changes not demographics

When the 2020 census results were released, they showed a boom in the number of people classified as multiracial in the United States since 2010. Two Princeton sociologists now say that jump was mostly an illusion. The 276% increase largely happened because of a change in how people were classified by the U.S. Census Bureau rather than strong shifts in racial or ethnic identity or major growth, according to a paper published in December by Paul Starr and Christina Pao. The Census Bureau for the first time provided space on the census form for people to write-in their families’...

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U.S. Treasury proposal would extend tax credits to consumers for installing electric vehicle chargers

The Biden administration is moving to clarify how homeowners and businesses can receive lucrative tax credits for installing electric vehicle chargers. A rule proposed in September by the Treasury Department would make credits worth up to $1,000 for individuals and $100,000 for businesses available for each EV charger that is installed. If finalized, the new rule would be especially valuable to businesses that plan to install multiple chargers and would be eligible for significant credits to offset the expense. “In order to help more Americans go electric, we need to make sure they can charge their EVs where they...

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Trump’s economic war and policy rollbacks threaten to destabilize U.S. electric vehicle industry

Donald Trump’s unhinged tariff blitz has sent shock waves throughout every aspect of the global economy, including the auto sector, where multi-billion-dollar plans to electrify in the United States are especially at risk. Here is what consumers should know about the impact of tariffs on electric vehicles. WHERE DOES EV ADOPTION STAND IN THE U.S.? EVs accounted for about 8% of new car sales in the U.S. in 2024, according to Motorintelligence.com. Some of those sales can be attributed to expanded tax credits for EV purchases, a Biden-era policy that spurred car buyer interest. Tesla held a majority of...

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American consumers will feel another financial blow as China punches back against Trump’s punitive tariffs

Countries and industries were scrambling on April 4 to respond to unprecedented and unilateral tariff hikes by Donald Trump that upended global trade and world markets. China responded with force to the 34% tariffs imposed by the U.S. on imports from China by announcing it will impose a 34% tariff on imports of all U.S. products beginning April 10. Taiwan’s president promised to provide support to industries most vulnerable to the 32% tariffs Trump ordered in his “Liberation Day” reciprocal tariffs announcement. Vietnam said its deputy prime minister would visit the U.S. for talks on trade. Some, like the...

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