by Isaiah J. Poole | Aug 21, 2014 | Jobs and Growth
Finally, residents in Ferguson, Mo., this morning are waking up to a violence-free night, 13 days after the shooting death of Michael Brown sparked days and nights of demonstrations and rage. Meanwhile, members of the Federal Reserve and other global central bank...
by Dave Johnson | Aug 20, 2014 | Blog
A Politico story being promoted by the Drudge Report, "McConnell’s plan to shut down Obama," makes it clear that if Republicans capture the Senate this fall they will, as the Drudge Report puts it, "play chicken" and shut down the government if President Obama vetoes...
by Jim Hightower | Aug 20, 2014 | Progressive Vision
The tragedies unfolding in Ferguson, Missouri, are doubly infuriating.First, there is the obvious outrage of yet another unarmed black teenager being stopped by one of the town’s white police officers as he was walking to his grandmother’s home. A scuffle ensued, and...
by Dean Baker | Aug 20, 2014 | Economy, Jobs and Growth
The Washington Post had an article on grassroots efforts to try to influence the Federal Reserve Board's decisions on monetary policy. It would have been helpful if the piece provided more background on the Fed's institutional structure and decision-making process....
by Bill Scher | Aug 20, 2014 | Uncategorized
Same Old Paul Ryan Ryan's "The Way Forward" doesn't point the way forward. MSNBC.com: "Ryan doesn’t lay out any major proposals to empower impoverished communities or ease racial tensions. Instead he boasts that he hired a staffer to reach out to Hispanics in his...
by Dave Johnson | Aug 20, 2014 | Blog, Tax Reform
Corporate tax rates used to top out at 52.8 percent. Later rates were lowered to 48 percent and then 46 percent. Then in 1986 corporations complained that this (lowered) rate made them "uncompetitive" and demanded "corporate tax reform." Because job creators. So the...
by Dean Baker | Aug 19, 2014 | Retirement Security
Most of the people who closely follow the Federal Reserve Board’s decisions on monetary policy are investors trying to get a jump on any moves that will affect financial markets. Very few of the people involved in the debate over the future of Social Security pay much...
by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | Aug 19, 2014 | Progressive Vision
You probably have heard of the Kent State shootings: on May 4, 1970, the Ohio National Guard opened fire on student protesters at Kent State University. During those 13 seconds of gunfire, four students were killed and nine were wounded, one of whom was permanently...
by Bill Scher | Aug 19, 2014 | Uncategorized
Corporations Not Hurting From Tax Code Corporate tax code hampers global competitiveness? Opposite is true. NYT: "...Professor [Edward] Kleinbard contends that most United States multinational companies don’t pay anywhere near 35 percent. Companies paid, on average,...
by Dave Johnson | Aug 18, 2014 | Blog, Winning Issues for 2014
You may have heard about corporations renouncing their US "citizenship" in order to avoid paying taxes for the infrastructure, courts, police and military protection on which they rely, the schools which their employees send their kids -- even the food stamps and...
by Terrance Heath | Aug 18, 2014 | Conservatism
Rep. Mo Brooks (R, Alabama) recently accused Democrats of waging a “war on whites.” In Ferguson, Missouri, where Michael Brown — an unarmed, 18-year-old, young black man — was shot and killed by a police officer, there is no question against whom war is being waged....
by Digby | Aug 18, 2014 | Progressive Vision
The Village wants to know now. In many ways, Obama’s difficulty in navigating matters of race as president mirrors his struggles in other areas. He has repeatedly and eloquently spoken about race — and his experiences in making his way in the world as the son of a...
by Richard Eskow | Aug 18, 2014 | Blog
The transfer of used military equipment from the armed forces to police departments around the country has been accompanied, at least to a certain extent, by a shift in public thinking. The news media have played a critical part in that shift, both in its coverage and...
by Bill Scher | Aug 18, 2014 | Uncategorized
Inversions May Define Midterms "White House betting ’14 midterm elections on economic patriotism" reports The Hill: "Democrats see the tax issue as a political winner that allows President Obama to side with middle class taxpayers and against corporate executives who...
by Terrance Heath | Aug 15, 2014 | Conservatism, This Is The GOP
Two tragic events this week gave right wingers an opportunity to show some humanity and decency. As usual, wingnuts did not exactly cover themselves in glory. Instead of rising to the occasion, they sank to new lows. Most Americans were sad to learn that beloved...
by Dave Johnson | Aug 15, 2014 | Progressive Vision
On The PBS Newshour Thursday, Matt Apuzzo of the New York Times was asked who has been covering the issue of the militarization of police. He said this has only been discussed by libertarians, like at Reason Magazine and the Cato Institute. "... has largely come from...
by Jeff Bryant | Aug 15, 2014 | Blog, Education
If you've ever spent much time watching soap operas, you're familiar with this scenario: Two characters with furrowed brows, arms akimbo square off: "That's not true," says one. "Oh yes it is," says the other. "If only Brock were here …" as the camera pans right....
by Bill Scher | Aug 15, 2014 | Uncategorized
Bipartisan Effort To Tackle Inversions Sen. Chuck Schumer's inversion plan attacks "earnings stripping." Bloomberg: "[Schumer] wants to curb a practice known as 'earnings stripping,' in which companies that engage in inversions load their U.S. operations with debt and...
by Richard Eskow | Aug 14, 2014 | Blog
If nothing else, William D. Cohan’s recent Nation article about JPMorgan Chase’s $13 billion settlement should confirm the public’s darkest suspicions about that institution and its CEO. It was only logical to assume that the bank wouldn’t have agreed to what was then...
by Emily Schwartz Greco | Aug 14, 2014 | Climate, Economy
By Emily Schwartz Greco and William A. Collins With so many homeowners and businesses making greener energy choices, private utilities — along with big oil, gas, coal, and nuclear companies — see the writing on the wall. Unlike some other denizens of the fossil-fueled...
by Dave Johnson | Aug 14, 2014 | Blog, Winning Issues for 2014
The President says the economy is doing well. Democrats are circulating a "message document" to Democratic candidates that "highlights a string of recent positive economic indicators." Who have they been talking to? (Hint: the wealthy donor class.) Economy Improving...
by Terrance Heath | Aug 14, 2014 | Conservatism
The latest “Libertarian Moment” is upon us, and will expire once it runs headlong into its own inherent shortcomings and the reality of a populist majority. Blink, and you’ll miss it. Robert Draper, in the New York Times, asks “Has the Libertarian Moment Arrived?”,...
by Bill Scher | Aug 14, 2014 | Uncategorized
Senate Dems Aim For Inversion Vote Senate Dems draft inversion plan. WSJ: "The proposal, detailed by Sen. Chuck Schumer (D., N.Y.), would restrict the practice of earnings stripping, where U.S. companies borrow money from overseas parents and deduct the interest...
by Richard Eskow | Aug 13, 2014 | Blog, Retirement Security, Winning Issues for 2014
August 14th is Social Security’s birthday, and I keep having this nightmare. In it, 300 million Americans are singing Social Security’s praises and celebrating its 79th year. Then a giant cake is rolled out while everybody sings “Happy Birthday” – and out pops Alan...
by Lynne Stuart Parramore | Aug 13, 2014 | Financial Reform
We hear a lot of big talk about how Dodd-Frank has made the financial system safer. That law was enacted to make certain that the country never gets blown apart by a financial crisis like the one in 2008. But does anybody really believe it? The bank regulators sure...
by Harvey J Kaye | Aug 13, 2014 | Blog, Progressive Vision
This Thursday, August 14, marks 69 years since the surrender of Imperial Japan – and with the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II coming up next summer we are sure to see significant efforts around the country during the next twelve months to once again honor...
by Dave Johnson | Aug 13, 2014 | Blog, Jobs and Growth, Winning Issues for 2014
Watch this video of a smart politician who knew how to campaign in the Midwest. He know what people were thinking had his finger on the pulse of what people wanted to do about it: [fve]http://youtu.be/PF9gpvI2UfU[/fve] Democrats Campaigning As Republicans? A recent...
by Bill Scher | Aug 13, 2014 | Uncategorized
Banks Move Against Volcker Rule Banks lobby to delay Volcker Rule. Reuters: "Banks are lobbying U.S. policy makers for a delay of up to seven years from a provision requiring them to sell investments in private-equity and venture-capital funds ... The Volcker rule,...
by Robert Borosage | Aug 13, 2014 | Blog, Winning Issues for 2014
Are Democrats the party of future change or the party of past accomplishment? Are they fighting for what needs to be done or touting what has already been done? Is the economy on the right track or is it rigged to benefit the few and not the many? Are Democrats...
by Isaiah J. Poole | Aug 12, 2014 | Jobs and Growth
Here's the sobering reality brought home today by the latest monthly Job Openings and Labor Turnover Summary by the Labor Department: After five years of economic "recovery," there are still only half as many jobs as there are people looking for work. This monthly...
by Katrina vanden Heuvel | Aug 12, 2014 | Economy
Corporate “inversions” are all the rage. No, I’m not talking about Wall Street yoga — although the term does refer to a method for companies to twist and contort themselves in order to evade taxes. Inversions are when a corporation buys a foreign company and...
by Bill Scher | Aug 12, 2014 | Uncategorized
Hillary v. The Left Hillary Clinton interview causes friction with left. Politico: "Progressives are wincing over Clinton’s foreign policy comments in a blockbuster interview with The Atlantic, saying her statements are excessively hawkish and reminiscent of...
by Richard Eskow | Aug 12, 2014 | Blog, Populist Majority, Winning Issues for 2014
They say that one swallow doesn’t make a summer, and one Politico story certainly doesn’t make a campaign season. But if a recent article there is correct – if the Democratic Party’s strategy this year really is “Running as a Dem (while) sounding like a Republican” –...
by Bill Scher | Aug 11, 2014 | Blog
At The Week today I argued "Why the GOP Should Tank the Midterms." In short, Republicans not ready for prime time. They were too divided to govern one house of the Congress without constantly humiliating themselves, so how do you think running two will do? Much of...
by Joshua Holland | Aug 11, 2014 | Economy
For many years there were some economists who argued that their discipline shouldn’t worry about inequality. Economists, they said, should focus on efficiency and growth, and leave the distribution up to the political world. But a research brief released on Tuesday by...
by Bill Scher | Aug 11, 2014 | Uncategorized
Midterms May Mean More Republican States Midterms may lead to more one-party GOP rule in states. NYT: "Republicans now control 59 of the 99 partisan legislative chambers, and have complete political control — both legislative houses and the governor’s mansion — in 23...
by Robert Borosage | Aug 11, 2014 | Blog, Progressive Vision
No surprise, Americans are in a foul temper. In an August NBC/Wall Street Journal poll, 71 percent considered the country on the wrong track. Nearly half thought the economy was still in recession. Over three-fourths were not confident their children’s generation will...
by Dave Johnson | Aug 8, 2014 | Blog
Problem: Your right-wing brother-in-law is plugged into the FOX-Limbaugh lie machine, and keeps sending you emails about "Obama spending" and "Obama deficits" and how the "stimulus" just made things worse. Solution: Here are three "reality-based" charts to send to...
by Isaiah J. Poole | Aug 8, 2014 | Blog, Jobs and Growth
You don't get to be an actor by being shy, so it should not have surprised me that Olivia Russell would do something attention-getting while she was serving me and a guest earlier this week at the Carolina Kitchen, a small chain restaurant in Washington's Brentwood...
by Bill Scher | Aug 8, 2014 | Blog
Three Republican Senators up for re-election this year, Sens. Lindsey Graham (S.C.), Susan Collins (Maine) and Lamar Alexander (Tenn.) voted for the bipartisan immigration reform bill despised by the anti-immigrant right-wing. And as of last night's victory by Sen....
