The Economy: Beneath the Din
Trump eruptions; stock market gyrations. The din aggravates, confuses and distracts from what we should be addressing. Here's a short bit a common sense to help sort out the real from the blare.
Trump’s Tropes
Commentators still dismiss Donald Trump as a summertime fling. But Trump's tropes are not simply ravings. They are making a case that many Americans want to hear.
Sanders and Trump: The Populist and the Demagogue
Conservative commentators have begun to label both Sanders and Trump "populists," one from the left, the other from the right. This is a slur both on Sanders and on populism.
In Praise of Julian Bond
America lost a giant and CAF lost a friend when Julian Bond passed away this weekend at the age of 75. His piercing intellect, eloquent voice, and puckish humor will be sorely missed. He made America better.
Change Must Come
The Republican debate debacle combined with a positive jobs report has put Democrats into a celebratory mood. But the reality is that we haven't even begun the reforms we need to make this economy work for working people.
The Republican Debate: There He Blows
The Republican "debate" turned into the Trump show. Aided and abetted by Fox News moderators who repeatedly went after him, Trump dominated, treating the others as bit players in his ongoing farce.
Hillary on Quarterly Capitalism: Big Challenge, Timid Reform
Hillary Clinton has opened a "conversation" about what she calls "quarterly capitalism," the perverse incentives that lead corporations to focus on the short-term over the long. Her reforms, however, don't match her rhetoric
Federal Workers Demand $15 and a Union
Yesterday, thousands of federal workers – led by Senate cafeteria workers – walked off their jobs to demand a living wage, decent benefits and union. Sen. Bernie Sanders joined them, as pressure builds on President Obama to act.
Bank Reform Five Years Later: Still Incomplete
Today is the fifth anniversary of the passage of Dodd-Frank, the complicated legislation designed to reform Wall Street after it blew up the economy. With finance still bloated, much more needs to be done.
Hillary Clinton’s Economic Story: Stuff Happens
Hillary Clinton presented what aides described as a framing speech for her economic policy on Monday. Her speech reflected both the scope and the limits of the populist advance in the Democratic debate.
Greeks Seek Hope; European Central Bank and Berlin Say No Basis for Deal
The Greek crisis deepens. The European Bank refuses the aid needed to reopen Greek banks. Germany's Angel Merkel sees no basis for a new deal. The full catastrophe grows nearer.
The Greeks Say No
The Greeks have refused to accept the harsh punishment that Europe prescribed for them. Europe's effort to topple the Syriza government has failed. Now Europe must decide how it will react to the voice of democracy.
Jobs Report: Flat Wages, Shrinking Workforce
The June jobs report shows more of the same: steady but slow jobs growth. Wages and hours were flat. The recovery continues but workers still are seeing few of the rewards.
Greece’s Agonies, Europe’s Shame
Greece is now on the brink. The referendum on July 5 offers Greek voters only a choice of calamities. The common narrative of this crisis is deeply misleading. Greece's failure is, in the end, Europe's shame.
The “Mother Emanuel Nine”
The heinous act of racial terrorism at the Emanuel AME Church in Charleston has been met with expressions of amazing grace and faith. But faith and grace are not enough. Change will come only if people of conscience demand it.
Who’s The Real Populist In This Presidential Campaign?
In the early stages of any presidential campaign, the race for money is accompanied by an “ideas primary.” What’s striking about the salad days of the 2016 race is that populism is leading the ideas primary of both parties.
Hillary’s Relaunch
The setting was electric. The speech was solid. In the first major public rally of her campaign, Hillary Clinton proved she gets the populist temper of the times, and will champion liberal – but limited – reform.
Push Comes to Shove on Fast Track
The vote on fast track is slated for Friday. It is too close to call. The backroom dealing is frenzied. But the choice is simple: Will we continue our ruinous trade policies or will Congress set a new course?
May Jobs Report: Progress and a Long Way to Go
The economy continued into its sixth year of recovery in May. But over 17 million people remain in need of full-time work. Wages still aren't picking up. The economy is recovering, but workers are not.
Warren to SEC Chair: “Step Up” (Or Step Down)
Sen. Elizabeth Warren has issued a stinging 13-page indictment of the leadership of SEC Chair Mary Jo White. The financial lobby howled its outrage, which should tell the rest of us that Warren got it right.
Populists Are Driving the Ideas Primary
Big money speaks loudly in the money primary. But populists are driving the ideas primary, particularly among Democrats. And the president is discovering the effects in the debate over fast track and trade deals.
Los Angeles Goes to $15 Minimum Wage
The City of Angels is rising, voting to lift its minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2020. This is entirely a victory of the workers who led the fight and the community groups that joined the struggle.
The Progressive Challenge
From Bill de Blasio's Progressive Agenda to the Populist 2015 Platform to the Stiglitz Report on Rewriting the Rules, progressives are driving the policy debate in the Democratic Party. Now candidates have to respond.
Andrew Cuomo Feels the Heat, Sees the Light
For evidence that movement matters, read the attached op-ed by Andrew Cuomo. The man who shot down New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio's efforts to raise the minimum wage now champions fast food workers. Who knew?
The Trade Deal and U.S. Security: Don’t Believe the Hype
With the economic benefits of the trade deal admittedly limited, its supporters have increasingly peddled it as an answer to the threat that China will write the rules of the Asian markets. Don't believe the hype.
The Sanders Challenge
Sen. Bernie Sanders will run a full-throated, uncompromised populist campaign for the presidency. That will test not the popularity of the populist message, but the strength of the populist movement.
Sanders Gets In
The race for the Democratic nomination for president was transformed today as populist stalwart Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders announced his candidacy. In a populist moment, Sanders is the real deal.
On Fast Track: Obama’s Scorn Forces Hillary Clinton’s Hand
Obama unleashed the furies in the debate over the Trans-Pacific Partnership by calling out Sen. Elizabeth Warren by name and scorning his opposition. That puts more pressure on Hillary to take a stand.
Government Sweatshops: A Time for the President to Act
The federal government is the leading generator of low-wage jobs in America. Now those workers are calling on the president to step up and use his pen to lift workers up, not drive them down.
The Popularity of the New Populism
Populist movements challenge conventional wisdom. They mold opinion rather than reflect it. Yet, the emerging populist agenda – as reflected in the Populism 2015 Platform released this weekend – already enjoys strong public support.
Hillary’s In: Challenges for the New Populism
Hillary Clinton has announced her presidential candidacy. This ratchets up the debate on the fundamental question of how to make this economy work for working people. This will be a test for the new populist movements.
The Conservative Congress Votes Dynasty Over Democracy
Next week, House Republicans plan to vote to eliminate the estate tax, standing tall to defend the inheritances of the multimillionaires. They choose dynasty over democracy in America.
The New Populism Driving the National Debate
A populist energy in gaining strength in America, mobilizing more and more citizens on the ground, and beginning to challenge the limits of the debate in the Democratic Party. Already the presidential race is affected.
March Jobs Report: Nothing to Celebrate
The March jobs report disappointed. The economy slowed. Pundits will blame it on the weather. But one thing is clear: This is no time for the Fed to be thinking about stepping on the brakes. We're already going too slow.
Who Wins the Money Primary?
The money primary of the 2016 presidential race is already on, even though most candidates haven't announced yet. Bush and Clinton are projected to do well, but the big winner of the money primary will be the money.
The Populist Challenge: Moving On Up
Now the Boston Globe calls on Elizabeth Warren to run for president. A populist temper is spreading. People are looking for fundamental change, and that is driving the debate in the Democratic Party and the country.
Dueling Visions: The CPC People’s Budget vs. the Budget for the 1%
The Congressional Progressive Caucus released its People's Budget the day after House Republicans unveiled their proposal. The contrasts are stark and revealing. And at stake is the fight for America's future.
A Sober Look at the Good News in February Jobs Report
Jobs are up; unemployment is down. We've had five straight years of private sector jobs growth. But workers have yet to share in the rewards. The Fed should hold off stepping on the brakes.
Congressional Progressive Caucus Offers A Real Alternative on Trade
In the trade debate, proponents peddle distortions; opponents are dismissed as Luddites. The Congressional Progressive Caucus offers an alternative that serves the nation's interest, not the special interests.
The Fast-Track Fandango
Why can't we have a trade debate worthy of the reality we face? Unprecedented trade deficits have undermined America's working families. We need a new strategy, not another dishonest and corrupted debate.
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