by Robert Borosage | Jun 10, 2009 | Blog
I stopped reading The Wall Street Journal editorial page when it soared off into wingnuttery, writing tomes on the imaginary conspiracy to off Vince Foster and other fantasies. The news pages remain useful; the editorial page hasn't improved much. But as they say,...
by Terrance Heath | Jun 10, 2009 | Uncategorized
After causing a day or so of anxiety and speculation with a hold on the sale to Fiat, said to be vital to Chrysler emerging from bankruptcy stronger, the Supreme Court ultimately rejected the plea by three Indiana state pension funds to block the sale. BBC: On Monday,...
by Isaiah J. Poole | Jun 9, 2009 | Blog
Third Way, an organization of so-called centrist Democrats, is promoting what it calls a "hybrid" proposal for a health insurance public plan option that it says progressives should be able to support. No, we shouldn't. It's an unacceptable attempt by people too...
by Terrance Heath | Jun 9, 2009 | Uncategorized
The healthcare reform battle heats up, as the House and Senate each grapple with their plans — and both grapple with the inclusion of a public plan option.CNN Politics: In the Senate, key negotiators broke up a session Monday still stuck on whether to create a...
by Terrance Heath | Jun 8, 2009 | Uncategorized
The president's back from his trip to the Middle East, and the New York Times reports that Obama's set to take on a greater role in the health care debate, including "an intense push for legislation that will include speeches, town-hall-style meetings and
by Sam Pizzigati | Jun 7, 2009 | Blog, Minimum Wage
To rescue the global economy from reckless power suits, we just may need a 'maximum wage.' So say Australia’s top labor leaders and a fairly daring cohort of MPs in the UK. By Sam Pizzigati You don’t need to be particularly bold, not these days, to blame...
by Robert Borosage | Jun 5, 2009 | Blog
Facing congressional criticism for secreting the names of the banks that have benefited from the trillions in Fed guarantees, swaps, loans, and what have you, the Federal Reserve has decided to hire a public relations pro to scrub its image and soothe the legislators....
by Terrance Heath | Jun 5, 2009 | Uncategorized
Any address to the Muslim world by an American president is a significant event. But Obama's Cairo speech was unlike anything Muslims around the world — and Americans, for that matter — have heard from a U.S. president before. What he said, what he meant, and what...
by Tula Connell | Jun 5, 2009 | Blog
We heard Bill O'Reilly is having trouble finding American-made T-shirts to sell in his Patriot Store. We know he's heartbroken because, after all, what good is a Patriot Store if its products are made in El Salvador or Haiti? (Especially if you're selling red, white...
by Sara Robinson | Jun 4, 2009 | Blog
Republicans have been running on immigration as a signature issue for the past several elections, so it's ironic that progressives are the ones with the most to gain from solving the immigration problem. But before we can do that, we need to understand—and agree—on...
by Terrance Heath | Jun 4, 2009 | Uncategorized
Is the glass half-full or half-empty? The latest employment numbers show the economy lost 532,000 jobs in May, says the Christian Science Monitor, using figures from the private firm ADP. A big number, sure, but that means fewer Americans lost their jobs in May than...
by Isaiah J. Poole | Jun 3, 2009 | Blog
Most people attending the America's Future Now conference are clear about one thing when it comes to health care: They are not prepared to compromise away the choice of a public health care option in order to get other reforms. In a straw poll at America's Future Now!...
by Terrance Heath | Jun 3, 2009 | Uncategorized
That didn't take long. It may not be the most short-lived business secret in recent memory, but GM's sale of one popular brand was something of jaw-dropper. Yesterday afternoon, the New York Times reported that GM was selling its Hummer brand to a secret buyer. Less...
by Isaiah J. Poole | Jun 2, 2009 | Blog
A theme that seemed to run through the three acceptance speeches of the award recipients at the America's Future Now! gala dinner Tuesday night was that people who have been left out or left behind in the move toward the American Dream are due their chance for...
by Robert Borosage | Jun 2, 2009 | Blog
President Obama has deep and strong support from progressives. But in Washington, the media is increasingly focused on areas where Obama's base is disappointed or restive In recent weeks, we seen the uproar over his retreat on preventive detention and military...
by Alan Jenkins | Jun 2, 2009 | Blog
This week, thousands of community leaders and hundreds of local organizations are holding events in 40 cities to kick off the Campaign to Reform Immigration for America. In a national campaign launch event at the National Press Club and Campaign Summit on Wednesday in...
by Leo Gerard | Jun 2, 2009 | Blog, Making it in America
A group of tire importers that should be competitors banded together recently to ally themselves with China in a trade case. Doesn't sound like they're working for the interests of the United States, does it? No, they're not. They're collaborating with China against...
by Terrance Heath | Jun 2, 2009 | Uncategorized
On morning after GM entered bankruptcy, President Obama tries to reassure the public about the government's "hands off" role, pundits ponder what it means for working class Americans, and investors barely notice, while taxpayers, auto-workers and retirees count their...
by Terrance Heath | Jun 1, 2009 | Blog
In my house, we take a deep breath before calling or answering a call from Detroit. My spouse's family live in the suburbs of Detroit, and all work in the auto-industry. The headlines we read every day are one thing, but the real day-to-day impact of the news reported...
by Terrance Heath | Jun 1, 2009 | Uncategorized
It's an auspicious day for the auto industry, workers, American manufacturing, and the president who inherited the consequences of the previous administration's policies — not to mention thirty years of disastrous conservative economic policies — as two of...
by Isaiah J. Poole | May 29, 2009 | Uncategorized
Yesterday's furrowed brows over the long-term prospects for the American economy have been replaced for the moment by raised eyebrows at this morning's Commerce Department report that the economy shrank during the first quarter by 5.7 percent—bad, but not as mad as...
by Tula Connell | May 29, 2009 | Blog
When Brynwood Partners in 2006 took over the Stella D'o
by Sara Robinson | May 28, 2009 | Blog, Rick Perlstein
One of the things I'm really liking about the new regime is the way the stark, terrified silence of the Bush years is giving way to noisy, energetic public discussion of subjects that would have been considered hardcore political pornography just a year or two ago....
by Isaiah J. Poole | May 28, 2009 | Uncategorized
Silly season continues on Capitol Hill and in conservative circles as the offensive against Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor goes into overdrive. Political Animal points to a news item in The Hill: Sotomayor also claimed: “For me, a very special part of my being...
by Robert Borosage | May 27, 2009 | Blog
Congressional Republicans are marginally more popular and significantly less contagious than the swine flu. Even conservatives are keeping their distance. House leader John Boehner's perpetual tan has become a presidential punch line. Senate leader Mitch Dr. No...
by Eric Lotke | May 27, 2009 | Blog, Minimum Wage
The wind is at our backs. The media still calls America a “center-right” nation, but “center-left” is closer to the truth. On issues ranging from health care to energy, the public is more progressive than people think. Demographic groups from youth to Hispanics are...
by Bill Scher | May 27, 2009 | Uncategorized
Confirmation Expected of First Latina Supreme Court Justice NYT sizes up the SCOTUS battle ahead, or lack thereof: "The left was quiet Tuesday. Aside from commending the president’s pick of Judge Sonia Sotomayor, most liberal groups kept their comments to a minimum so...
by Steven Capozzola | May 26, 2009 | Blog, Making it in America
Clyde Prestowitz is absolutely right that the United States needs a cohesive, forward-looking national industrial policy. And furthermore, he is correct in pointing out the “policies of China, Japan, Korea and others to undervalue their currencies.” Such...
by Leo Gerard | May 26, 2009 | Blog
Randel K. Johnson, vice president of that esteemed group, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, recently revealed a corporate-squelched truth in a slip of the tongue. During a debate on May 15 with Stewart Acuff of the AFL-CIO about the Employee Free Choice Act, Johnson...
by Zach Carter | May 26, 2009 | Blog
With workers all over the globe trudging through a catastrophic recession, it's almost a given that governments will be battling the economic slide for a long time. Part of the effort to rebuild must involve new rules and regulations, but meaningful systems for...
by Bill Scher | May 26, 2009 | Uncategorized
Sotomayor Expected To Join Supreme Court Christy Hardin Smith lauds: "She grew up in the projects in the Bronx, lost her father at the age of nine, and was raised along with her brother (who is now a doctor) by her single mother. That's some life experience to bring...
by Sam Pizzigati | May 25, 2009 | Blog
The awesomely affluent of high finance, if current trends continue, seem almost certain to survive the mess they’ve created — with their wealth and power largely intact. And Treasury and Congress don't appear to really mind. The American economy...
by Eric Lotke | May 22, 2009 | Blog
I just finished a new novel, 2044. 2044 starts where George Orwell’s 1984 left off. The problem isn’t Big Brother and the leviathan government. The problem is Big Brother Inc., and the all-powerful marketplace. Orwell was right for his time, of course. Europe lay in...
by Bill Scher | May 22, 2009 | Uncategorized
Climate Bill Clears First Hurdle "Legislation imposing the first nationwide limits on the pollution blamed for global warming advanced in the House late Thursday ... The Energy and Commerce Committee approved the sweeping climate bill 33-25 after repeatedly turning...
by Isaiah J. Poole | May 22, 2009 | Blog
President Obama's signing of a financial fraud crackdown bill this week has been largely overshadowed by the erroneous and irresponsible rantings of Vice President Dick Cheney and his right-wing fear-monger allies, and that's unfortunate for two important reasons....
by Tula Connell | May 22, 2009 | Blog
So, the world isn't flat after all. Not that some of us ever bought into Thomas Friedman-speak. But many in this country did, especially those running the political show, and now we have a chance to shape a progressive future on the ashes of such failed visions. And...
by Isaiah J. Poole | May 21, 2009 | Blog
A year ago, I called attention to efforts by some progressives in Congress to establish a national infrastructure bank that would finance critical investments in our transportation network, our waterways and other public assets. This week, that push is happening...
by Bill Scher | May 21, 2009 | Uncategorized
Waxman Has The Votes "Henry Waxman has had just about enough ... [he] is giving [Republicans] until the end of Thursday to keep playing around, he told the Huffington Post" before moving to a final committe vote on the clean energy and climate protection bill. CQ...
by Greg Colvin | May 21, 2009 | Blog
We have been told this is our moment And so we come to the table With our pent-up agenda, Eager to load our cafeteria trays, While the raging, wounded bull Standing in the doorway Could be ours for the taking And all our people could be fed. It is time to ask...
by Bill Scher | May 20, 2009 | Blog
David Roberts laments the political squeeze the Waxman-Markey climate compromise puts on progressives, forced to choose between "what justice and prudence demand and what's possible within the current constraints of power politics" but ends on a hopeful note: "if a...
