by Dave Johnson | Jan 11, 2010 | Blog
Be afraid. Over at The Drudge Report, under a photo of a Chinese soldier (but no siren), are three headlines: CHINA ENDS AMERICA'S REIGN AS LARGEST AUTO MARKET... Becomes biggest exporter, edging out Germany... China banks eclipse American rivals... So OK,...
by Leo Gerard | Jan 11, 2010 | Blog
A screwy thing happened after the United Steelworkers and eight domestic steel producers won their trade case late in December against Chinese manufacturers of the steel pipe used for oil and gas drilling. Instead of describing it as an important victory for U.S....
by Roger Hickey | Jan 11, 2010 | Blog
(Editor's Note: On Sunday, The Washington Post ombudsman Andrew Alexander responded to the call for his paper to sever all ties to austerity activist and Social Security/Medic
by Bill Scher | Jan 11, 2010 | Uncategorized
The daily Progressive Breakfast serves up what progressive movement members need to know to start their day WH, Unions To Meet About Insurance Tax Fight White House meets with union leaders today over the tax issue. Time explores the tense talks around the...
by Richard Eskow | Jan 10, 2010 | Blog
A blogger contact has told me of a new argument in favor of the health excise tax: Since the tax will be imposed on insurers, the Senate's limit of 15% for insurance company profit and overhead will prevent the cost from being passed on to consumers. There are a...
by Sam Pizzigati | Jan 10, 2010 | Blog
Congress may be gridlocked, but the Obama administration has the power, even without congressional action, to take on the CEO set — and the windfalls that are so enraging average Americans. A year ago, movers and shakers at the upper echelons of the Democratic Party...
by Dave Johnson | Jan 9, 2010 | Blog
The Supreme Court could say as soon as Monday that corporate executives are free to use huge amounts of corporate resources to directly influence elections. The vote will probably be 5-4 and we know which 5 and which 4 and why. If this happens it will fundamentally...
by Brian Dockstader | Jan 8, 2010 | Blog, Economy
I generally try to avoid watching political talk shows on TV because the lack of journalism is, much more often than not, infuriating. That wasn't exactly the case the other night on Hardball, however. During a segment with Todd Harris, a Republican strategist, and...
by Bill Scher | Jan 8, 2010 | Uncategorized
The daily Progressive Breakfast serves up what progressive movement members need to know to start their day. Push For Jobs Bill After Weak Labor Report 85K lost jobs in Dec., after slight job gains in November. Unemployment rate unchanged. MarketWatch: "U.S. job...
by Richard Eskow | Jan 8, 2010 | Blog
The theory behind the "Cadillac tax" on health plans is little more than wishful thinking based on dubious research. Advocates believe that forcing employers to cut benefits will lead to cheaper, better care. That's like preventing rain by outlawing umbrellas. Yet the...
by Richard Eskow | Jan 7, 2010 | Blog
The beat goes on: David Leonhardt, the Times economics blogger and tax supporter, had this exchange regarding the Senate's health excise tax on NPR's "Marketplace" program: Leonhardt: (It's) a tax on the costliest health-insurance plan. It's an idea health economists...
by Richard Eskow | Jan 7, 2010 | Blog
Blogger and video producer Lee Stranahan has produced a video that includes footage of Barack Obama denouncing the so-called 'Cadillac tax' during last year's Presidential campaign. Stranahan, who is an uninsured husband and father, accompanies his video with a...
by Richard Eskow | Jan 7, 2010 | Blog
Amid indications from President Obama that he wants the House to adopt the Senate's health tax, we learn that he will meet with labor to discuss their concerns about the tax's effect on middle-class American workers. Sam Stein reports in The Huffington Post that the...
by Dave Johnson | Jan 7, 2010 | Blog
I have a simple question: Why is moving a factory across a border called "trade"? The process of building up a country is long and difficult. People over time unite and engage in a long, hard struggle to form a democratic government for themselves and build strong...
by Bill Scher | Jan 7, 2010 | Uncategorized
The daily Progressive Breakfast serves up what progressive movement members need to know to start their day Prez Presses House To Accept Insurance Tax, 190 Dems Push Back President presses House to accept Senate insurance tax. NYT: "President Obama told House...
by Sam Pizzigati | Jan 6, 2010 | Blog
By nearly every measure, average Americans lost ground in the “Aughts.” They’ve been losing ground — to the rich — for three full decades now. Will the 'Teens' make that four? Pawn shops always do well in recessions. CEOs of pawn shops, at least these days, do even...
by Eric Lotke | Jan 6, 2010 | Blog
As someone who just published a novel and is looking to market it, I found this idea especially interesting. Deborah Emin of Sullivan Street Press called it to my attention. Now I share it as I can. Deborah calls the idea an “Itinerant Book Show.” The basic idea is...
by Terrance Heath | Jan 6, 2010 | Blog
i The fury and dialogue catalyzed by Joe Lieberman's unsurprising treachery on health care reform — along with futile efforts to court Olympia Snowe, and the dealmaking with Ben Nelson and other "Blue Dog" Democrats — underscores a Democratic division and...
by Bill Scher | Jan 6, 2010 | Blog
The New York Times reported today on The Fiscal Times scandal that has the Washington Post on the defensive. And the NYT framed the controversy in the exact right way (emphasis added): [The Fiscal Times'] financing was provided by Peter G. Peterson, the billionaire...
by Terrance Heath | Jan 6, 2010 | Blog
Note: This is an extended version of a "Letter to the Editor" I emailed to Newsweek upon seeing their December 19th issue. I know what was meant by it, but I couldn't help rolling my eyes when I read the subtitle of your December 19th issue: "People who matter, on...
by Bill Scher | Jan 6, 2010 | Uncategorized
The daily Progressive Breakfast serves up what progressive movement members need to know to start their day Public Option Down, Subsidies Up, Insurance Tax Unclear AP reports likely deal exchanges increased subsidies for loss of public option: "House Democrats will...
by Richard Eskow | Jan 5, 2010 | Blog
Respected health writer Maggie Mahar ("Money-Driven Medicine") got curious and decided to fact-check the excise tax. Wisely, she follows the money - which in the world of health care follows the chronically ill. Her findings? ... 75 percent of our health care dollars...
by Richard Eskow | Jan 5, 2010 | Blog
In a new piece at The Huffington Post, your humble correspondent begins the New Year in a time-honored fashion: with an act of confession for past sins. The piece is entitled "I'm the Guy Who Cut Your Health Benefits. Trust Me." It deals with the health excise tax at...
by Robert Borosage | Jan 5, 2010 | Blog
Smith Bagley passed away on Saturday, felled by a stroke on Christmas Eve. I was honored to count him a supporter and a friend. Smith is celebrated for his remarkable generosity; his commitment to social justice and to the Democratic Party. His Arca Foundation is...
by Bill Scher | Jan 5, 2010 | Blog
Everyone seems to be treating the new faces of the conservative movement as wildly successful and influential. But the real story of the conservative movement in 2009 is it has been a colossal failure where it counts: effecting policy. Just this week, W. Post's Dana...
by Bill Scher | Jan 5, 2010 | Uncategorized
The daily Progressive Breakfast serves up what progressive movement members need to know to start their day. Dem Leaders Meet Today To Merge Health Care Bills WH, House and Senate leaders to meet on health care today. Politico reviews House strategy to strengthen...
by Bill Scher | Jan 4, 2010 | Blog
The Huffington Post is reporting that the House-Senate health care negotiations are going to use the weaker Senate version as their starting point. Not an auspicious beginning for those with hopes of retaining any public option or removing the Senate's tax on...
by Richard Eskow | Jan 4, 2010 | Blog
A Washington Post poll taken in mid-October showed that 61% of people surveyed opposed the excise tax, with only 35% supporting it. A USA Today/Gallup poll taken at the same time showed essentially identical results, with 61% against the tax and 34% in favor. An...
by Roger Hickey | Jan 4, 2010 | Blog
Today (Jan. 4) 21 policy experts sent a letter (below) to Washington Post Board Chairman Donald Graham, requesting a meeting. Why? Because we've gotten no response to our protest letter to The Washington Post's ombudsman. In that earlier letter we demanded an...
by Bill Scher | Jan 4, 2010 | Blog
Just before the end of the year, Campaign for America's Future co-directors Robert Borosage and Roger Hickey shared what they learned after an action-packed 2009 in the battle for progressive change. The two shared four key lessons from the year. 1. Change is brutal,...
by Bill Scher | Jan 4, 2010 | Uncategorized
The daily Progressive Breakfast serves up what progressive movement members need to know to start their day. W. Post Hammered For Partnership With Austerity Ideologue Pete Peterson OurFuture.org's Roger Hickey sounds alarm at Fiscal Times-W. Post arrangement to...
by Roger Hickey | Jan 1, 2010 | Blog
On the last day of 2009, The Washington Post published an article, presented as a news story, which could be a signal of the death of the Post as an independent and objective news source. The piece, entitled "Support grows for tackling nation's debt,"...
by Roger Hickey | Jan 1, 2010 | Blog
On Thursday, December 31, The Washington Post published an article, presented as a news story, which could be a signal of the death of the Post as an independent and objective news source. The piece, entitled "Support grows for tackling nation's debt," appeared to be...
by Dave Johnson | Dec 30, 2009 | Blog
America is fighting back against China's violations of trade agreements! Recently President Obama imposed tariffs following Chinese violations involving steel pipes and tires. (And jobs and factories are already starting to return.) Yesterday the U.S. imposed...
by Sam Pizzigati | Dec 30, 2009 | Blog
By every measure that matters, The Spirit Level helps us understand, relatively equal nations far outperform nations where income and wealth concentrate at the top. Many of us have read, over the past 12 months, a variety of books that address America's vast economic...
by Robert Borosage | Dec 30, 2009 | Blog
Health care reform suffered the torments of partisan obstruction. Now gird yourself for financial reform and the perils of bipartisan blight. In health care, lockstep Republican opposition caused months of delay, and empowered the likes of Connecticut's embittered...
by Alan Jenkins | Dec 29, 2009 | Blog
Ten New Year’s Resolutions for The Obama Administration In 2010: 1. I will inspire. I am one of the most charismatic orators of our generation, but as president, I’ve moved away from that critical element of my leadership. While my speech to the Muslim world in Cairo...
by Richard Eskow | Dec 29, 2009 | Blog
Conventional wisdom has it that print journalism (and its editorial columns) are dead. Tell it to Bob Herbert. His column lambasting the excise tax went viral today on both the left and right ends of the Internet spectrum, despite having originating in what some have...
by Dave Johnson | Dec 29, 2009 | Blog
Paul Krugman says Dean Baker is right, Dean Baker is right: it’s bizarre to report that Chinese officials are (a) worried about inflation and (b) determined not to let their currency appreciate without noting that these are contradictory policies.What Dean Baker wrote...
by Richard Eskow | Dec 28, 2009 | Blog
The President came close to endorsing the so-called "Cadillac tax" when he was interviewed about health reform on NPR. Here's what the President said when the subject came up: "I'm on record as saying that taxing Cadillac plans that don't make people healthier, but...
