by Jeff Bryant | Jul 10, 2015 | Blog
Nearly two years ago, a North Carolina classroom teacher wrote to her state legislature that her salary of $31,000 "is wholly insufficient to support my family. So insufficient, in fact, that my children qualify for and use Medicaid as their medical insurance, and...
by Bill Scher | Jul 10, 2015 | Blog
Democrats were quick to jump on Jeb Bush after he told a newspaper editorial board, "people need to work longer hours," thinking they caught him in a classic out-of-touch gaffe. Politico reported, "Just as Republicans in 2012 turned 'You didn’t build that' into a...
by Bill Scher | Jul 10, 2015 | Uncategorized
Mass Moral Monday March for Voting Rights in NC Moral Mondays movement to rally in Winston-Salem at 5 PM Monday, urging federal courts to overturn North Carolina's voter suppression law. More from OurFuture.org's Joshua Ferrer: "In addition to implementing the...
by Isaiah J. Poole | Jul 10, 2015 | Blog, Jobs and Growth
Key Democrats in the Senate on Thursday worked to ratchet up the pressure on Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, calling for him in a letter to move forward with a long-term transportation bill before federal authorization for the program expires at the end of the...
by Richard Long | Jul 9, 2015 | Education
The drumbeat grows louder for candidates to issue a plan to tackle the $1.3 trillion behemoth that is student debt, with former Maryland governor Martin O’Malley issuing his debt-free college solution Wednesday. O’Malley’s proposal comes after Vermont Senator Bernie...
by Joshua Ferrer | Jul 9, 2015 | Democracy
[fve]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pkCuDmaeDd0[/fve] People from across the nation will converge on Winston-Salem, N.C. this coming Monday to march for voting rights in the state that has come to symbolize voter suppression. “North Carolina is our Selma” is the...
by Jacob Woocher | Jul 9, 2015 | Jobs and Growth
When Walmart kicked off its U.S. Manufacturing Summit on Tuesday, Walmart it posed as a friend of the American worker, a creator of U.S. jobs and a force for reducing inequality. But, as the American Manufacturing Association dutifully points out this week, we...
by Joshua Ferrer | Jul 9, 2015 | Climate
House Republican leadership pulled a monstrosity of an appropriations bill from the floor after Democrats attached an amendment that would ban Confederate flags from federal cemeteries. That upset some Republican House members, who then offered an amendment to roll...
by Dave Johnson | Jul 9, 2015 | Blog, Economy
Republicans have shut down the Export-Import (Ex-Im) Bank as of midnight, July 1. They are touting it as a blow against "corporate welfare" and "crony capitalism." But who are the real winners here? It's certainly not us workers. Last year the bank helped finance...
by Bill Scher | Jul 9, 2015 | Uncategorized
Highway Bill Vexes Washington Sen. McConnell rules out gas hike, downplays repatriation, for highway trust fund. Politico: "'We’re not going to raise the gas tax,' McConnell said ... McConnell (R-Ky.) also said he was 'skeptical' about the prospect of using a...
by Dave Johnson | Jul 9, 2015 | Blog, Economy
The Grand Alliance to Save Our Public Postal Service is calling for support of two House resolutions that urge restoration of overnight mail service standards and a continuation of six-day delivery. The alliance consists of more than 70 national organizations. The...
by Cormac Close | Jul 8, 2015 | Blog, Financial Reform
After a spate of Atlantic shark attacks captured the news, Discovery Channel’s much anticipated Shark Week could not be more timely. Watchers will eagerly devour information on all types of sharks, from the docile whale shark to the infamous Great White. But the...
by Emily Foster | Jul 8, 2015 | Blog, Economy
A child in Baltimore’s Seton Hill neighborhood will on average die 19 years earlier than a child from the city’s Roland Park neighborhood. That’s the stark consequence of housing inequality. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development on Wednesday set out to...
by Terrance Heath | Jul 8, 2015 | Blog, Conservatism, Progressive Vision
The South Carolina Senate’s vote to remove the Confederate battle flag is an important first step towards honestly addressing our shared history, and the ways its legacy still haunts us 150 years after the end of the Civil War. The state Senate voted Tuesday 36 to 3...
by Bill Scher | Jul 8, 2015 | Uncategorized
Glass-Steagall Bill Puts Hillary On Spot Sen. Warren re-introduces Glass-Steagall restoration, squeezing Hillary. The Hill: "It gives her challengers an issue showing daylight between themselves and Clinton ... Robert Borosage, co-director of the liberal Campaign For...
by Dave Johnson | Jul 7, 2015 | Blog, Trade
The U.S. Census Bureau reported Tuesday that the May goods and services trade deficit was an enormous, humongous $40.9 billion, up a bit from an enormous, humongous $40.7 billion in April. Our enormous, humongous trade deficit is a measure of how many jobs, factories,...
by Isaiah J. Poole | Jul 7, 2015 | Blog, Jobs and Growth, Tax Reform
An outfit called Morning Consult created a minor ripple this week with a news story headlined "Voters Back White House Plan for Highway Funding." But, like all stories based on polls, it pays to know how the pollster asked the question. And in this case, if the goal...
by Leo Gerard | Jul 7, 2015 | Blog, Jobs and Growth
Businesses always find big bucks for the boss. He wants a raise; he gets it. No problem. For workers whose sweat of the brow produces profits, well, somehow there's never a cent for them. In fact, last week when President Obama proposed making more workers eligible...
by Bill Scher | Jul 7, 2015 | Uncategorized
Europe Presses Greece Greek PM and new finance minister meet with European counterparts today. AP: "As the Greek leader readied proposals to restart bailout talks, the situation was complicated by the European Central Bank’s refusal late Monday to increase assistance...
by Robert Borosage | Jul 7, 2015 | Blog, Economy, Greek Crisis
Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras will present a new Greek proposal to the Europeans today, but there are few reasons for hope. The European Central Bank announced yesterday that it would not provide increased liquidity to Greek banks, insuring that they will remain...
by Joshua Ferrer | Jul 6, 2015 | Democracy
Amid a bipartisan chorus urging prison reform and an end to mass incarceration, Democratic presidential candidate Martin O’Malley’s words are ringing awfully flat. Like many others, O’Malley urges an end to mass incarceration and more police restraint. His record as...
by Isaiah J. Poole | Jul 6, 2015 | Economy, Financial Reform, Greek Crisis
Now that the Greek populace has spoken with a firm voice against the austerity policies being imposed on the country by Europe's financial leaders, it's time for President Obama and Congress to stand firm with the Greek people. A petition calling on our political...
by Robert Reich | Jul 6, 2015 | Blog, Health
The Supreme Court’s recent blessing of Obamacare has precipitated a rush among the nation’s biggest health insurers to consolidate into two or three behemoths. The result will be good for their shareholders and executives, but bad for the rest of us – who will pay...
by Bill Scher | Jul 6, 2015 | Blog
One hundred and fifty years ago today, 12 weeks after Abraham Lincoln was assassinated, The Nation magazine was born and immediately called for President Andrew Johnson to exercise his power and enshrine "the right of the negroes to the franchise." I know this...
by Bill Scher | Jul 6, 2015 | Uncategorized
Eyes On Germany After Greek Vote Greece delivers resounding "No" vote, rejecting European bailout terms. NYT: "The no votes carried virtually every district in the country, handing a sweeping victory to Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, a leftist who came to power in...
by Robert Borosage | Jul 6, 2015 | Blog, Economy, Greek Crisis, Progressive Vision
The Greek people have stood up. By an overwhelming margin, they rejected the harsh, unending, austerity that the “Troika” – the International Monetary Fund, the European Union and the European Central Bank – dictated for them. They stood with the leaders they had...
by Jeff Bryant | Jul 6, 2015 | Blog, Education
It's Tuesday evening, and people have come to church — but not for religion. What's bringing people to Green Mountain United Methodist Church in the heart of Lakewood, Colorado, is a meeting modestly titled "Church and society: Stand up for students." In a cramped,...
by Terrance Heath | Jul 2, 2015 | Conservatism, This Is The GOP
It’s been almost a week since the Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage in all 50 states. Was that enough time for wingnuts to calm down and realize the Court gave them an escape hatch from the “culture war”? Of course not. In the aftermath of the Supreme Court...
by Jacob Woocher | Jul 2, 2015 | Conservatism, Progressive Vision
Last Thursday, Senator Rand Paul (R-Ky) criticized Democratic frontrunner Hillary Clinton, claiming she and her husband, former President Bill Clinton, are “proud” to have incarcerated a “whole generation of young black men.” He then took aim at the former Secretary...
by Dave Johnson | Jul 2, 2015 | Blog, Democracy, Progressive Vision
We the People do not know how much money federal contractors are spending to bribe influence our Congress. What does that say about the transparency and integrity of our pay-to-play political system? For Independence Day President Obama should help Congress become...
by Elaine Weiss | Jul 2, 2015 | Blog, Economy
As election season heats up, it’s encouraging to see not only education policy in general, but early childhood education, in particular, getting serious attention. With New York City leading the way, and cities from Boston to Seattle and San Antonio working toward...
by Robert Borosage | Jul 2, 2015 | Blog
The June Bureau of Labor Statistics jobs report shows continued growth -- 223,000 new jobs added with the official unemployment rate declining to 5.3%. Jobs growth remains steady -- rising for 57 straight months, now setting a new record each month – but slow, lagging...
by Bill Scher | Jul 2, 2015 | Uncategorized
Bernie Rocks Wisconsin Bernie Sanders holds biggest rally of the campaign to date. AP: "Sanders packed the Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Madison, filling its 10,000 seats to show his bid to snatch the Democratic nomination from front-runner Hillary Rodham Clinton...
by Larry Cohen | Jul 1, 2015 | Blog, Progressive Vision
Three weeks ago, when I ended my third term as president of CWA, I pledged to volunteer to help build what we call the "movement of 50 million for economic justice and democracy." Today I am announcing that I have endorsed Bernie Sanders for president of the United...
by Emily Schwartz Greco | Jul 1, 2015 | Blog
Rainbows illuminated the White House, the Empire State Building, and other landmarks after the Supreme Court affirmed the right to marry from sea to shining sea. As most Americans basked in this milestone’s afterglow, conservative leaders stomped their feet,...
by Bill Scher | Jul 1, 2015 | Uncategorized
Greece Goes Over The Edge Greece misses IMF payment. W. Post: "The $1.67 billion missed payment to the IMF was unlikely by itself to spur immediate problems for the global economy, since it affected only a government-backed institution, not private investors. But if...
by Robert Borosage | Jul 1, 2015 | Blog, Conservatism, Economy, Greek Crisis
Greece is now on the brink. It cannot pay its creditors, starting with the missed payment to the International Monetary Fund. Its banks are closed, unable to deal with a panicked dash for cash. The European Bank has refused to offer more cash to sustain their...
by Dave Johnson | Jul 1, 2015 | Blog, Financial Reform, Greek Crisis
The job of a lender is to evaluate risk and price a loan accordingly. If there is risk you charge a higher interest rate. That way you still make money on a broad portfolio of loans even when there are a few defaults. That's the job of a banker, supposedly. It's what...
by Terrance Heath | Jun 30, 2015 | Blog, Conservatism, Current Issues, Election 2016, This Is The GOP
It’s official. Chris Christie is running for president. The only reason for Christie’s run appears to be either his outsized ego or deep delusion about his chances of winning. Yesterday, the two most common reactions to news that New Jersey governor Chris Christie...
by Emily Foster | Jun 30, 2015 | Jobs and Growth
There are an estimated 5 million Americans who are literally overworked and underpaid – they are working more than 40 hours a week but not getting the time-and-a-half overtime pay that they are due. For them, and for all workers, it is time for the Department of Labor...
