By Rachel Goldfarb, originally published on Next New Deal
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There will not be a new Daily Digest on Monday, February 17, in observance of Presidents' Day. The Daily Digest will return on Tuesday, February 18.
Comcast's Time Warner Deal Is Bad for America (Bloomberg Businessweek)
A Comcast-Time Warner Cable monopoly won't just limit choice for consumers, says Roosevelt Institute Fellow Susan Crawford. The combined company will have no reason to upgrade infrastructure.
Just How Much Do Republicans Hate Unions? (TAP)
Volkswagen seems to be supportive of a union at its Chattanooga, Tennessee, plant. That means the GOP pushback is just about opposing organized labor in general, writes Paul Waldman.
It's Time to Kill the Debt Limit (The Daily Beast)
Jamelle Bouie says that the easiest way to stop the cycle of debt ceiling crises of the past few years would be to abolish it altogether, since it's a pointless and redundant concept anyway.
Should We Place A Tax On All College Graduates? (Forbes)
Josh Freedman considers this alternative model of funding for public higher education. He quotes Roosevelt Institute Fellow Mike Konczal to express concern about whether such taxes would lead to class-segregated schools.
How Credit-Card Debt Can Help the Poor (NYT)
Since good credit affects so many aspects of life in the U.S., Shaila Dewan writes that special loans that build credit alongside savings could make a big difference.
New on Next New Deal
Conservatives Concerned About the CBO and the Dignity of Work Should Consider a Higher Minimum Wage
Roosevelt Institute Fellow Mike Konczal suggests that a higher minimum wage could solve Republican concerns about people who choose to work less due to the Affordable Care Act and means-tested programs.
A New Medicare Penalty Puts the Focus on Community Health
Anisha Hegde, Roosevelt Institute | Campus Network Senior Fellow for Health Care, says that expanding community health resources and workers will help patients and reduce costs in the health care system.