Archive

2008 is shaping up to be the election year that we finally get to have the Great American Healthcare Debate again. Harry and Louise are back with a vengeance. Conservatives are rumbling around the talk show circuit bellowing about the socialist threat to the (literal)...

As a detailed outline of how the government will spend your tax dollars in fiscal year 2009, which starts October 1, the budget submitted to Congress by President Bush on Monday is virtually worthless. But as a way to contrast the misplaced — and, frankly, immoral —...

The Sunday shows score one for the Watchdog, actually asking a relevant question for Sen. John McCain. When on Face The Nation, Sen. McCain proposed we "eliminate the AMT [Alternative Minimum Tax], make the tax cuts permanent and give corporate America a tax...

Every Friday in our Weekend Watchdog feature, we post suggested questions for scheduled Sunday guests. You can add your own questions in the comment thread. We'll also include contact information for the shows, so we can let them know what their viewers want asked....

Economic data have you down? The net loss of 17,000 jobs in January. Wages continuing to fail to keep up with higher prices. Just the latest evidence of an economy that doesn't work for everybody. But that doesn't mean it's not working for somebody! From the...

(With apologies to Gabriel Garcia Marquez.) It began with Veggie Booty. Or rather, I should say, it ended with Veggie Booty. As was my habit, I'd tossed it into the cart during our family's weekend grocery shopping trip. I didn't read the label, in part because I'd...

In one of the comments threads that discussed last week's first Stealing Our Future post, an astute commenter named Ohio Mom did a telling bit of class analysis: I was reminded of the aphorism that the wealthy look to the past and the legacy they've inherited ("our...

Everyone has heard at least one "health care nightmare" story, like the death of 17-year-old Nataline Sarkysian hours after her insurance company approved coverage a liver transplant after repeated denials. Before that, it was the death of Diamonte Driver, for want of...

The old routines don’t work anymore. The presidential smirk seems sheepish. The threats seem like bluster. No one really listens anymore. Even George W. Bush seemed almost giddy that he wouldn’t have to go through this again. The president appears as tired of us as we...

Midnight tomorrow is the deadline to submit a nomination for the second annual Maria Leavey Tribute Award, to be announced at Take Back America 2008, convening March 17th to 19th. This your chance to recognize an unsung progressive hero you know and have seen toiling...