Selections from the May 1, 2012 issue

COVER/Will Doig
When cities run dry

EDITORIAL
Austerity stalls recovery

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

RURAL ROUTES/Margot McMillen
Buy food from your neighbors

DISPATCHES
‘Welfare reform’ leaves poor independent, hungry;
Texas saves money on disabled kids;
Hits and misses at Current TV;
26 major corporations paid no taxes;
Grassley: Obama ‘stupid’ for agreeing with Grassley about activist judges;
GAO disputes Christies Hudson Tunnel cost claims;
Wingers hawking Lugar;
GOP still has Social Security 'fix' in mind;
GOP leader's money targets Republicans;
Journos won't call Romney on lies;
Michigan GOP takes voter suppression to next level;
Con group caught lying, repeats lie;
Castro praise sidelines baseball manager ...

MARK ANDERSON
Organic farmers see Monsanto in court

DON ROLLINS
Indy pol: Girl Scouts admire commies

SETH SANDRONSKY
Cal State faculty votes to strike

JIM VAN DER POL
Rural progressives foster healthy conservatism

SAM URETSKY
Conservatives have a mind of their own

HEALTH CARE/Joan Retsinas
The people vs. Obamacare

JOHN BUELL
Europe, US weigh austerity’s science, ethics

WAYNE O’LEARY
Vive la différence

GRASSROOTS/Hank Kalet
Strip-search ruling highlights judicial stakes

BOB BURNETT
Box office supports political ‘Hunger Games’

ROB PATTERSON
Political news seems like unreality TV

POPULIST PICKS
Paradise lost; Birds fly high

and more ...