24th Trouble in Toyland report
Source: U.S. Public Interest Research Group
From Executive Summary:

The 2009 Trouble in Toyland report is the 24th annual Public Interest Research Group (PIRG) survey of toy safety. This report provides safety guidelines for parents when purchasing toys for small children and provides examples of toys currently on store shelves that may pose potential safety hazards.

In researching the report, we visited numerous national chain toy stores and other retailers in September and October 2009 to identify potentially dangerous toys. We analyzed CPSC notices of recalls and other regulatory actions to identify trends in toy safety. This year, we focused on three categories of toy hazards: toys that may pose choking hazards, toys that are excessively loud, and toys that contain the toxic chemicals lead and phthalates.

+ Full Report (PDF; 1 MB)

New GAO Report (PDFs)
Source: Government Accountability Office
1. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services: Deficiencies in Contract Management Internal Control Are Pervasive
Highlights ||| Full Report

The Haves and Have-Nots: The Demographics of Americans and Health Insurance
Source: Nielsen

Few issues have roused the American public in recent years as much as the debate over health insurance reform. While the Obama administration calls for mandatory coverage for all Americans, about 8 in 10 Americans already have insurance, and have shared their mixed views about the proposed legislation. While some support the plan, a vocal number worry about the possibility of higher premium costs. Others cite concern over a government-run health care program — the so-called public option intended to ensure affordable coverage and drive costs down by injecting competition into the industry. Still more voice a general opposition to any changes that might impact their coverage.

Who are these insured Americans who so vocally lodged their complaints at recent town hall meetings and rallies on Capitol Hill? And what’s behind the resistance? How does their perspective differ from that of people who currently lack health insurance but may be required to obtain it?

Retailers Increase Cyber Monday Promotions to Entice Holiday Shoppers Looking for Bargains
Source: National Retail Federation

Holiday shoppers looking for bargains aren’t likely to be disappointed when they learn what retailers have planned for Cyber Monday. According to Shop.org’s eHoliday Survey, conducted by BIGresearch, nearly nine in ten (87.1%) retailers will have a special promotion for Cyber Monday, up from 83.7 percent last year and 72.2 percent in 2007. The most popular promotions are expected to be specific deals (42.9%), one-day sales (32.9%), and free shipping on all purchases (15.7%). Half of retailers (50.0%) will distribute promotions and deals to shoppers through a special Cyber Monday email.*

“Retailers have a very acute sense of the importance of Cyber Monday in kick-starting holiday sales and have been planning their promotions for months,” said Scott Silverman, Executive Director of Shop.org. “It seems like companies up the ante every year for Cyber Monday, and many holiday shoppers are eagerly anticipating the bargains that await them this year.”

Cyber Monday, a term coined by Shop.org in 2005, began after retailers noticed a trend of people shopping online on the Monday after Thanksgiving. Today, Cyber Monday is viewed as the ceremonial kickoff to the online holiday shopping season, when shoppers flood websites expecting robust promotions and many retailers highlight some of their most compelling offers.

+ Survey Results (PDF; 29 KB)
+ Select Cyber Monday Promotions (PDF; 19 KB)

Where the Public Stands on Immigration Reform
Source: Pew Research Center

Recently the Obama administration announced that it will push for legislation next year to overhaul the nation’s immigration system. Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said that the administration will argue for what she called a “three-legged stool” including stricter enforcement, a “tough and fair pathway to earned legal status” for undocumented immigrants already in the U.S., and a more efficient process for legal immigration.

How is the public likely to react to this new push? Since 2007 when the Bush administration failed in its effort to build a coalition in support of comprehensive reform, the issue has been relatively dormant. Pew Research polling has found significant public support for both tougher enforcement and the so-called “path to citizenship,” but several factors suggest that the debate could be a difficult one.

First, if the experience of 2007 is any guide, opposition to setting up a process for undocumented immigrants to achieve citizenship may be more intense — even if less widespread — than support for it. Second, the nation’s economic situation is significantly worse than it was when the issue was debated in 2006 and 2007. Some Republican lawmakers reacted to Secretary Napolitano’s speech by raising concerns about the competition for jobs posed by foreign-born workers. More generally, partisan differences on the issue have grown since two years ago, potentially making it more difficult to achieve a consensus in Congress. And third, as the debate over health care reform has shown, there is considerable public anxiety right now about the scope of the federal government’s activities and its capacity to undertake major policy changes.