This article is part of a series to be published at PA TIMES Online during the month of March under the topic of "Emergency Preparedness and Disaster Recovery on the Anniversary of the Japanese Earthquake and Tsunami."

We are still accepting articles for this topic and all others on the 2012 PA TIMES Online Editorial Calendar. Email Editor Christine Jewett McCrehin at cjewett@aspanet.org for more information or a copy of our submission guidelines.

Satoru Tanaka

After large-scale natural disasters, governments must procure enormous amounts of supplies of many sorts without delay. Since the Tohoku Earthquake, which occurred on March 11, 2011, the Japanese government has had to carry out various types of procurement on a large scale. Of these, one of the most important is the procurement of services and avenues to dispose of disaster waste. According to the Japanese Ministry of the Environment (current situation of disposal of disaster waste in disaster-stricken areas, Feb. 20, 2012), the amount of physical waste created by the disaster is estimated to reach 22,530,000 t, which is 10–20 times the amount of waste produced annually in disaster-stricken areas in normal times.

This article is part of a Special Section titled "CHANGING DEMOGRAPHICS IN AMERICA" that ran in the August/September 2011 print issue of PA TIMES. Contact Editor Christine Jewett McCrehin (cjewett@aspanet.org) for more information on the print issue. See the Related Articles box for links to more articles from the Special Section.

Catherine E. Wilson

As we approach the beginning of Fall, it is clear that the United States needs to enter a new season of immigration. On March 27, 2011, the United States commemorated the one-year anniversary of the killing of Arizona rancher Robert Krentz. This tragic and senseless act was the fuse that ignited a national fire in immigration control and enforcement initiatives at the state level.

This article is part of a Special Section titled "CHANGING DEMOGRAPHICS IN AMERICA" that ran in the August/September 2011 print issue of PA TIMES. Contact Editor Christine Jewett McCrehin (cjewett@aspanet.org) for more information on the print issue. See the Related Articles box for links to more articles from the Special Section.

Chris Spoons, Mark Gordon

The United States of America is founded on immigrants coming to the New World to build a better life from the fruits of their own labor. Throughout its history, people have continued to immigrate to the United States for many of the reasons they did 200 years ago: to begin a new life free of ethnic or religious persecution and to seek new opportunities, safety and freedom. However, once immigrants arrive, they face many challenges; some anticipated, some not.

This article is part of a Special Section titled "CHANGING DEMOGRAPHICS IN AMERICA" that ran in the August/September 2011 print issue of PA TIMES. Contact Editor Christine Jewett McCrehin (cjewett@aspanet.org) for more information on the print issue. See the Related Articles box for links to more articles from the Special Section.

Wiha Powell

“We define ourselves as a nation of immigrants–a nation that welcomes those willing to embrace America's precepts,” said President Obama during a visit to El Paso, TX, as he addressed the nation’s daunting immigration issues.

America, as the president reminded, is a nation of immigrants. Most Americans can trace their ancestry to immigrants who journeyed to the United States in search of a better life. In recent years immigration has become one of the nation’s hot button topics with numerous bills being introduced in the United States Congress to address the growing concerns. Unfortunately, Congress has been dragging its feet on approving immigration reform. What we have seen has resulted due to the absence of a unified federal response, in some states moving forward unilaterally to implement laws designed in effect to remove illegal immigrants from that state and ultimately the country. This leaves many with the opinion that the land of dreams and opportunities is rejecting the very philosophy upon which it was founded.

This article is part of a Special Section titled "CHANGING DEMOGRAPHICS IN AMERICA" that ran in the August/September 2011 print issue of PA TIMES. Contact Editor Christine Jewett McCrehin (cjewett@aspanet.org) for more information on the print issue. See the Related Articles box for links to more articles from the Special Section.

Daniel G. Bauer, Alex Roman, Adam Williams

Immigration has become an important issue in recent years on the political agenda mainly due to the perception of a growing number of illegal aliens making their way into various parts of the country. Federal legislation has not taken a stance which would be considered satisfactory for many state and local governments. The resulting backlash found in lower level governmental policies on immigration have led to an even greater sense of awareness from the general public. Questions must now be asked of administrators and the field of public administration in general, regarding the future effects of these policies.

This article is part of a Special Section titled "CHANGING DEMOGRAPHICS IN AMERICA" that ran in the August/September 2011 print issue of PA TIMES. Contact Editor Christine Jewett McCrehin (cjewett@aspanet.org) for more information on the print issue. See the Related Articles box for links to more articles from the Special Section.

Joseph Adler

Population Growth and Transformation
Demographers have been consistent in forecasting that a major shift in the population of the United States is taking place, leading to a state where no single ethnic or racial group will comprise a majority of the residents. How local governments respond to demographic shifts will have a significant impact on the ability to effectively fulfill the needs and requirements of their residents. The recently completed 2010 Census verifies that the transition of the United States into a multi-hued ethnically diverse nation is well on its way. Of the nearly 310 million residents, Hispanic-Americans are the largest minority group at 16.3 percent, followed by African-Americans at 12.6 percent and Asian-Americans at 4.8 percent. Caucasians currently make up 72.4 percent of the populace, but by 2050 the Census Bureau projects that will decline to under 50 percent while the proportion of Hispanic-Americans and Asian-Americans is expected to nearly double.

This article is part of a Special Section titled "ENVIRONMENT VS. ECONOMICS…REVOLUTION OR RESOLUTION?" that ran in the March/April 2011 print issue of PA TIMES. Contact Editor Christine Jewett McCrehin (cjewett@aspanet.org) for more information on the print issue. See the Related Articles box for links to read more from the Special Section.


Alexandru V. Roman, Schnequa N. Diggs

On February 14, 2011, President Barack Obama’s 2012 budget proposal was unveiled. The proposal attempts to address budgetary challenges that are historic in scope. As stated in the President’s budget message “The fiscal realities we face require hard choices. A decade of deficits, compounded by the effects of the recession and the steps we had to take to break it, as well as the chronic failure to confront difficult decisions, has put us on an unsustainable course. That’s why my Budget lays out a path for how we can pay down these debts and free the American economy from their burden.” The proposal stated that the number one goal is a significant reduction in America’s budgetary deficit.

This article is part of a Special Section titled "ENVIRONMENT VS. ECONOMICS…REVOLUTION OR RESOLUTION?" that ran in the March/April 2011 print issue of PA TIMES. Contact Editor Christine Jewett McCrehin (cjewett@aspanet.org) for more information on the print issue. See the Related Articles box for links to read more from the Special Section.


Schnequa N. Diggs

The awareness of the dangers posed by pollution and environmental degradation hit mainstream headlines in the 1950s. Environmentalist groups nationwide alerted Americans of the negative impacts pollution has on health and overall quality of life. These impacts were not generally acknowledged to be spatially or socially differentiated, they were presumed to be affecting everyone equally.

This article is part of a Special Section titled "ENVIRONMENT VS. ECONOMICS…REVOLUTION OR RESOLUTION?" that ran in the March/April 2011 print issue of PA TIMES. Contact Editor Christine Jewett McCrehin (cjewett@aspanet.org) for more information on the print issue. See the Related Articles box for links to read more from the Special Section.


Daniel G. Bauer

Rising resource and infrastructure costs combined with an inability to keep pace with explosive energy, information and resource demands are creating a tenuous position for communities, citizens and businesses. Higher social service costs combined with falling municipal tax receipts are creating untenable fiscal situations. Scientific evidence validates the derogatory impact greenhouse gas, or carbon, emissions are placing on our environment.