by Dave Johnson | Jan 8, 2014 | Uncategorized
A new report from In the Public Interest (ITPI) highlights some of the horror stories that happen when local and state governments "outsource" or "privatize" public functions to private companies, and offers recommendations to prevent similar disasters. "Government Is...
by Dave Johnson | Jan 7, 2014 | Making it in America
This morning the U.S. Census Bureau’s Bureau of Economic Analysis released trade deficit figures for November. The enormous, humongous trade deficit in goods and services fell from $39.3 billion in October to $34.3 billion for November. Even though this is still an...
by Dave Johnson | Jan 7, 2014 | Conservatism, Unemployment Benefits
Filibuster. Use the word. Call it what it is. Succeed or not, Republicans are trying to filibuster the effort to extend unemployment benefits for the long-term unemployed. A majority want this to pass, but Republicans are trying to block it with a filibuster. If...
by Dave Johnson | Jan 6, 2014 | Trans-Pacific Partnership
As the administration tries to sell Congress on passing fast-track trade promotion authority in order to push through the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade agreement, we may be seeing some familiar tactics at work. This time it is an effort to get people to jump...
by Dave Johnson | Jan 3, 2014 | Democracy, Economy, Populist Majority, Progressive Vision, Unemployment Benefits
Federal unemployment assistance for 1.3 million people who have been unemployed longer than 26 weeks expired last Saturday, after Republicans blocked efforts to extend them. 3.6 million more people will lose these benefits over this year. Restoring these benefits is a...
