by Tula Connell | Jan 21, 2010 | Blog
Massachusetts voters sent a strong signal to Washington lawmakers Tuesday that they want results—and aren't seeing any. Not on health care reform, not on job creation and not on fixing the nation's economy. Voters also sent another powerful message for Democrats:...
by Terrance Heath | Jan 21, 2010 | Blog
The history of the American Negro is the history of this strife,—this longing to attain self-conscious manhood, to merge his double self into a better and truer self. In this merging he wishes neither of the older selves to be lost. He would not Africanize America,...
by Isaiah J. Poole | Jan 21, 2010 | Blog
It does not matter whether today's pronouncement on financial reform by President Obama was prompted by Tuesday's election disaster in Massachusetts or was a long-building unleashing of his inner populist. What matters is the potential for real White House leadership...
by Eric Lotke | Jan 21, 2010 | Blog
People have been wondering for years who runs our country. People or wealthy corporations? Today the Supreme Court settled the debate. Today’s decision, Citizens United v. FEC, tilts the balance of power in the country even farther towards wealthy and corporate...
by Dave Johnson | Jan 21, 2010 | Blog
The Supreme Court has ruled 5-4 to make George W. Bush President allow large corporations to spend as much as needed to place their candidates in office, so that they will pass laws: giving them access to government funds restricting their smaller competitors allowing...
by Terrance Heath | Jan 21, 2010 | Blog
...It is a peculiar sensation, this double-consciousness, this sense of always looking at one’s self through the eyes of others, of measuring one’s soul by the tape of a world that looks on in amused contempt and pity. One ever feels his two-ness,—an American, a...
by Bill Scher | Jan 21, 2010 | Blog
Whenever I'm discussing with friends the frustrations of the legislative process, the influence of corporate lobbyists invariably comes up. And that usually leads my friends to declare we won't accomplish anything without public financing of political campaigns. I've...
by Bill Scher | Jan 21, 2010 | Uncategorized
Each morning, Bill Scher and Terrance Heath serve up what progressives need to affect change on the kitchen-table issues families face: jobs, health care, green energy, financial reform, affordable education and retirement security. Obama Seeks To Summon Spirit Of...
by Isaiah J. Poole | Jan 20, 2010 | Blog
The numbers in the Research 2000 exit poll released Wednesday by MoveOn.org and Democracy for America speak for themselves: The Massachusetts election was not a call to go back to conservatism. It was, as Robert Borosage on our site said earlier today and as such...
by Dave Johnson | Jan 20, 2010 | Blog
The blogs and airwaves are full of explanations for the MA Senate special election's outcome, mostly involving people being upset at particulars of the health care bill. But I don't really think that the people who voted were all that well-informed about differences...
by Richard Eskow | Jan 20, 2010 | Blog
It hurts to lose a Senate seat but, hey - setbacks happen in politics. What's really discouraging is the sight of Democrats, from the White House on down, refusing to accept responsibility for their own part in this loss. That, more than the loss itself, is reason for...
by Dave Johnson | Jan 20, 2010 | Blog
Banks still aren't lending, and it's getting worse for small businesses - the nation's jobs engine. Why did we bail out the big banks, again? Why can't our government just hire people like we did in the depression, and why can't our government just loan to the job...
by Bill Scher | Jan 20, 2010 | Blog
Earlier today, progressive leaders representing more than 50 organizations declared their opposition to the Conrad-Gregg debt commission proposal, which is expected to be introduced on the Senate floor soon as part of the bill to allow the federal to meet its...
by Robert Borosage | Jan 20, 2010 | Blog
John Judis describes the challenge facing Obama and Democrats well today. A good antidote to the Blue Dog and New Dem tripe that will flood the media. It is a long read but worth it. Source URL: http://www.tnr.com/article/politics/he-doesnt-feel-your-pain Does He Feel...
by Eric Lotke | Jan 20, 2010 | Blog, Economy
Okay, there was an election in Massachusetts yesterday but I’m not writing about it. I’m writing about something nobody noticed during the election. Infrastructure. Lots of people drove to the polls. Other people traveled by train, walked on sidewalks, or communicated...
by Robert Borosage | Jan 20, 2010 | Blog
Left Out in the Cold The thrill is gone. Now it’s recrimination time. Who is to blame for the end of the romance? A lot of stuff and nonsense will be served up over the next days in the wake of the Massachusetts debacle, but it will difficult for anyone to top Lanny...
by Bill Scher | Jan 20, 2010 | Uncategorized
Each morning, Bill Scher and Terrance Heath serve up what progressives need to affect change on the kitchen-table issues families face: jobs, health care, green energy, financial reform, affordable education and retirement security. What Next For Health Care? Pushback...
by Robert Borosage | Jan 19, 2010 | Blog
On the heels of Elizabeth Warren's rallying cry for a Consumer Financial Protection Agency, Campaign for America's Future called on our supporters to join the fight. The following call to action was sent to our supporters today. *** The struggle to control the big...
by Richard Eskow | Jan 19, 2010 | Blog
Labor leaders met with the White House last week to hammer out a deal on the health excise tax. Depending on the outcome of today's Senate race in Massachusetts, that deal is likely to become law. So how good is it? Here's an overview: The ceiling -...
by Steven Capozzola | Jan 19, 2010 | Blog
Here’s a scenario you didn't see: The North American International Auto Show got underway last week and not a single Japanese car was allowed. Such a slight would be unthinkable, but it’s not far from what Japan did recently when it chose to exclude U.S. autos from...
by Bill Scher | Jan 19, 2010 | Blog
I dread all the Washington spin that will follow today's Massachusetts special election, more than usual. Because I live in Massachusetts and the predictable oversimplifications will literally hit close to home. While everyone will say the election results mean this...
by Bill Scher | Jan 19, 2010 | Uncategorized
Health Care Reform Holds Breath For Mass. Vote... NYT reports Dem leaders considering passing Senate bill in House without changes, if Senate Dems "waver" after Mass. Senate election today: "'“Let’s remove all doubt,' [Speaker Pelosi] added. 'We will have health care...
by Sam Pizzigati | Jan 17, 2010 | Blog
Would a stiff tax on banker bonuses blunt Wall Street profiteering — or let the vast majority of America's wealthy off the hook? “Wall Street,” the New York Times observed earlier this month, “is confronting a dilemma of riches: How to wrap its...
by Terrance Heath | Jan 15, 2010 | Blog
Eugene Robinson thinks maybe Michael Steele is crazy like a fox. I think he's just plain crazy (and only slightly crazier than the GOP for hiring him in the first place), for a number of reasons, the latest of which is a real humdinger. And, no, I'm not talking about...
by Robert Borosage | Jan 15, 2010 | Blog
The Wall Street Journal reports that Sen Chris Dodd, chair of the Senate Banking Committee, is thinking of abandoning the Consumer Financial Protection Agency, the centerpiece of Obama finanical reforms designed to create an independent watchdog to protect consumers...
by Dave Johnson | Jan 15, 2010 | Blog
The country has a very large debt. This debt was caused by: 1) Conservative tax cuts for the rich under Reagan and Bush. 2) Conservative spending increases, mostly on military. 3) Interest that must be paid each year on the debt from 1 and 2. 4) Emergency spending...
by Bill Scher | Jan 15, 2010 | Uncategorized
The daily Progressive Breakfast serves up what progressive movement members need to know to start their day Union Leaders Back Tax Deal McClatchy describes the deal struck between the White House, congressional leaders and union leaders to modify high-premium...
by Robert Borosage | Jan 14, 2010 | Blog
Yes, the apostle of free markets, the scourge of regulation and taxation, the bastion of nutcase supply side economics – the Wall Street Journal editorial page – has come out foresquare for more regulation… For Haiti, at least. The Journal editorial contrasts the toll...
by Richard Eskow | Jan 14, 2010 | Blog
The Washington Post has an uncanny knack for being in the wrong place at the wrong time, pushing the wrong policies and making the wrong moves. That's four wrongs in once sentence, and four wrongs don't make a right - unless you're talking about "right"-wing bias. But...
by Dave Johnson | Jan 14, 2010 | Blog, Economy
On top of last week's bad news on unemployment, with 85,000 more jobs lost in December, today's initial claims for unemployment insurance benefits report was 444,000, an increase of 11,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 433,000 The "rule of thumb"...
by Bill Scher | Jan 14, 2010 | Uncategorized
The daily Progressive Breakfast serves up what progressive movement members need to know to start their day "Financial Crisis Responsibility Fee" Announcement Today NYT has details in advance of presidential statement: "The new tax on banks, insurance companies and...
by Sara Robinson | Jan 13, 2010 | Blog
It's the New Year, and I'm celebrating by coming back to work after a three-month sabbatical from CAF. After four years of pretty consistent blogging, I needed some distance, some time to pursue a few errant passions, and the chance to recover my focus. As of this...
by Richard Eskow | Jan 13, 2010 | Blog
The AFL-CIO has announced that it is coordinating a "National Call-In Blitz" today.. If you call this toll free number - 1-877-3-AFLCIO (1-877-323-5246) - you can "urge your representative to support working families by voting for health care reform that: Does NOT tax...
by Bill Scher | Jan 13, 2010 | Uncategorized
The daily Progressive Breakfast serves up what progressive movement members need to know to start their day. Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission Grills Banks Today OurFuture.org's Les Leopold profiles the witnesses: "Lloyd 'doing God’s work' Blankfein ... Jamie “Obama...
by Richard Eskow | Jan 13, 2010 | Blog
The New Republic's Jonathan Chait has penned an ode to the excise tax on health benefits. He says his "faith in the Cadillac tax remains ardent," even after being led astray by a faulty graph. We hate to dim his ardor, but it's a love gone wrong. You...
by Brian Dockstader | Jan 12, 2010 | Blog
When Sen. Arlen Specter switched from the GOP to the Democratic Party early last year, citing the Republican Party's extreme shift to the far-right in recent years, many progressives found themselves in mixed emotions. First, there was a sense of happiness, as the...
by Bill Scher | Jan 12, 2010 | Blog
Media pundits appear to be focused on President Obama's flagging approval numbers on health care. But last night's CBS poll on the health care debate is the
by Bill Scher | Jan 12, 2010 | Uncategorized
The daily Progressive Breakfast serves up what progressive movement members need to know to start their day Compromise Possibility After WH-Union Meeting WH hints at compromise over health insurance tax after union meeting. NYT: " President Obama told union leaders at...
by Alan Jenkins | Jan 12, 2010 | Blog
So who even uses the word “Negro” anymore, much less the phrase “Negro dialect”? Apparently Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, in a conversation with reporters before Barack Obama became president. To be sure, one has to wonder whether a guy who uses that kind of...
by Richard Eskow | Jan 11, 2010 | Blog
People are saying that the so-called Cadillac tax "might fall flat" and "has real problems." And those are its defenders. I can't remember any new policy in recent history whose own advocates had so many complaints with its design. Not that we're ...
