Yet a new survey, conducted by Robert Blendon at the Harvard University School of Public Health, and the New York-based Commonwealth Fund, suggests that the British are much less unhappy with their health service than Americans, and see little reason to redesign their health-care system.

ECONOMIST: Health

But the severe recession from which we are still recovering has caused serious budget problems for many state and local governments, which fund the vast majority of the costs of public elementary through high school education.

WHITEHOUSE: The White House

Even more targeted is the Fund for Public Schools, where you can help efforts to resume normal public school activities in the city.

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The Democratic candidate called for the creation of an "Innovative Schools Fund" to help school districts develop what the campaign calls a "portfolio of successful public school types, " including charters and nonprofit schools.

CNN: Obama dishes out tough talk on education