by Robert Borosage | Aug 22, 2016 | Blog, Progressive Vision
The summer ends with a growing lament among progressives. Tom Frank’s cutting voice sums it up: "And so ends the great populist uprising of our time, fizzling out pathetically in the mud and the bigotry stirred up by a third-rate would-be caudillo named Donald J...
by Rae Breaux | Aug 22, 2016 | Blog, Climate
With Amanda Devecka-Rinear, New Jersey Organizing Project, and Gary Zuckett, West Virginia Citizen Action Group. The record-breaking floods in Louisiana are the latest example of what many working people already know all too well: climate change has already begun, and...
by Terrance Heath | Aug 19, 2016 | Blog, Conservatism, This Is The GOP
Donald Trump’s announcement of his new campaign team completes the process of bringing white supremacists and white nationalists from the extreme fringe into the mainstream of American conservatism and the GOP, which began when Donald Trump started his campaign. If...
by Dave Johnson | Aug 19, 2016 | Blog, Conservatism, Jobs and Growth, This Is The GOP
Republican Presidential candidate Donald Trump and Republicans in general say "burdensome government regulations" are holding the economy back. Phrases like that sure sound ominous, as does another Republican favorite, "big government." But what do the words actually...
by Richard Eskow | Aug 19, 2016 | Blog, Conservatism, This Is The GOP
“There is a myth out there that…at heart, he’s really on the side of the little guy,” Hillary Clinton said recently of Donald Trump. “Don’t believe it.” I agree. But I’ve never liked using the phrase “little guy” to describe America’s working men and women. A lot of...
by People's Action | Aug 19, 2016 | Breakfast
Justice Dept. To End Use of Private Prisons Justice Department cites weak track record of private prisons. NYT: "Sally Q. Yates, the deputy attorney general, wrote in a memo [that private prisons] 'do not save substantially on costs,' and they provide fewer...
by Richard Eskow | Aug 18, 2016 | Blog, Retirement Security
I’ll say this for them: The Wall Street billionaires and corporate CEOs behind the "Campaign to Fix the Debt" have a lot of nerve. Once again they're using cheap scare tactics, along with some manipulative “nudging,” to drum up support for cutting Social Security...
by Isaiah J. Poole | Aug 18, 2016 | Democracy
People fighting the private prison industry scored a huge victory Thursday when the Justice Department issued a memo announcing that it would begin the process of "reducing – and ultimately ending – our use of privately operated prisons." That memo was written by...
by Robert Reich | Aug 18, 2016 | Blog, Health, Progressive Vision
The best argument for a single-payer health plan is the recent decision by giant health insurer Aetna to bail out next year from 11 of the 15 states where it sells Obamacare plans. Aetna’s decision follows similar moves by UnitedHealth Group, the nation’s largest...
by Dave Johnson | Aug 18, 2016 | Blog, Trade, Trans-Pacific Partnership
President Obama is trying to get a vote on the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) during the "lame duck" session of Congress that will take place after the election. We can help stop this by getting enough Democrats on the record as opposing the TPP. In particular, we...
by People's Action | Aug 18, 2016 | Breakfast
Can Clinton Get a Mandate? Clinton risks winning without a mandate. W. Post's Stu Rothenberg: "Part of Clinton’s goal over the next two months ought to be to create the impression that her agenda is her appeal. Only then could she credibly make the argument that the...
by Miles Mogulescu | Aug 18, 2016 | Blog, Election 2016, Progressive Vision
As Sen. Elizabeth Warren is fond of saying, “personnel is policy.” With a Hillary Clinton victory looking increasingly likely, the question of what types of personnel Clinton would appoint to top administration positions becomes increasingly crucial to defining what...
by Jeff Bryant | Aug 18, 2016 | Blog, Education
"You can exhale now," the headline in Salon reassures, because "kids have more money than ever to spend on school stuff this year." The reason for Salon's celebratory tone is that a national survey every year by the National Retail Federation finds that preteens...
by Terrance Heath | Aug 17, 2016 | Blog, Progressive Vision
After years of campaigning and organizing, domestic workers in Illinois are celebrating victory. On Tuesday Gov. Bruce Rauner signed the Illinois Domestic Workers’ Bill of Rights into law, guaranteeing basic workplace protections. #DWDignityIL #Victory! Big TY to...
by Bill Scher | Aug 17, 2016 | Blog
Donald Trump has been routinely accusing former President Lyndon Johnson of silencing the political speech of churches because he viewed churches as political enemies. This is false. Trump's presidential campaign may be doomed to defeat, but this smear may live on if...
by Dave Johnson | Aug 17, 2016 | Blog, Jobs and Growth
The Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors voted this week to endorse Silicon Valley Rising's City of San Jose Opportunity to Work Initiative. If passed by voters, the initiative would require employers to offer additional work hours to their part-time employees...
by Isaiah J. Poole | Aug 17, 2016 | Democracy, Economy, Election 2016
Talk about dog-whistle politics. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump gave a speech in Wisconsin Tuesday night that was virtually a textbook example of how to play race politics to win white conservative votes: Feign sympathy for black people while vowing to...
by People's Action | Aug 17, 2016 | Breakfast
Trump Stumps For Black Vote ... At White Rally Trump makes his case to African-Americans. Yahoo! News: "The Republican presidential nominee repeatedly accused his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton of 'taking for granted' and 'taking advantage of' black voters, calling...
by Terrance Heath | Aug 17, 2016 | Blog, Conservatism, Progressive Vision, This Is The GOP
The lack of convictions in Freddie Gray’s death was not a vindication of Baltimore police. The Department of Justice’s scathing report of its probe of the Baltimore police force laid bare the structural racism that poisoned policing in the city, and ultimately led to...
by Mehrdad Azemun | Aug 16, 2016 | Blog, Conservatism, Progressive Vision, This Is The GOP
In a campaign that every week finds new ways to go beyond the pale, Donald Trump's speech Monday on "radical Islam" and immigration in Youngstown, Ohio hit a new, dangerous low – even for Trump. The event was, in many respects, quite unremarkable. The candidate...
by Dave Johnson | Aug 16, 2016 | Blog, Trade, Trans-Pacific Partnership
Hillary Clinton has appointed Former Colorado Sen. Ken Salazar, a big supporter of TPP, to lead her transition team, should she be elected President. Politico has more, in Clinton campaign transition chief has pushed for TPP: The new chairman of Hillary Clinton's...
by Dave Johnson | Aug 16, 2016 | Blog, Trade, Trans-Pacific Partnership
The administration is engaging in a month-long "blitz" to promote a lame-duck vote in Congress for the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). At the same time Rock Against The TPP has launched a concert tour to drive public awareness of the implications of TPP. Which do you...
by Leo Gerard | Aug 16, 2016 | Blog, Conservatism, Defense/Foreign Policy, Election 2016
Donald Trump has perfected the swagger and boast of a professional wrestler. While a guy like World Wrestling Entertainment CEO Vince McMahon is full of fake bluster and brashness for the sake of TV ratings, Donald Trump is the real McCoy: A reckless bully. That...
by People's Action | Aug 16, 2016 | Breakfast
WH Launches TPP Blitz WH to barnstorm country during congressional recess to promote TPP. Politico: "...30 events [are scheduled] over the congressional recess ... Administration officials including Treasury Secretary Jack Lew and Agriculture Undersecretary Alexis...
by Dave Johnson | Aug 16, 2016 | Blog, Financial Reform
"Payday loans" are a Wall Street/financial industry scheme/scam that preys on people with low incomes. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) is working on rules to reign this in and protected Americans. They want to hear from you. Please join the fight by...
by Diane Archer | Aug 15, 2016 | Health
The U.S. invests more than $32 billion each year in drug and biomedical research. This major public investment in drug research empowers the government to make drugs affordable under the Bayh-Dole Act of 1980. But, even when drug companies price critical drugs at...
by Robert Reich | Aug 15, 2016 | Blog
It looks increasingly likely that Hillary Clinton, a self-described “progressive who likes to get things done,” will have her chance starting next January. But how much that’s progressive will she actually be able to get done? The Senate may flip to the Democrats but...
by Bill Scher | Aug 15, 2016 | Blog, Election 2016, Retirement Security
Eighty-one years ago Sunday, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the Social Security Act and created the one of the most enduring and consequential programs from the New Deal. This year, the program has a wonderful birthday present. Neither presidential candidate...
by People's Action | Aug 15, 2016 | Breakfast
TPP Battle Heats Up "Liberals rally to sink Obama trade deal" as Obama moves toward lame duck vote, reports The Hill: "...Obama on Friday sent notice to Congress that he intends to deliver TPP implementing legislation to Capitol Hill later in the year — a maneuver...
by Richard Eskow | Aug 15, 2016 | Blog, Jobs and Growth
Automation will undoubtedly transform the workforce, the economy, and society as a whole. Robotics, sophisticated "AI" software, and other technologies will cause lasting and profound changes in the future. But that's no reason to ignore the problems we're facing...
by Terrance Heath | Aug 12, 2016 | Blog, Conservatism, This Is The GOP
Is suggesting that Second Amendment advocates assassinate Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton enough for Republicans to finally renounce their endorsements of Donald Trump? You already know the answer. This week, Donald Trump went where no presidential...
by Kathy Mulady | Aug 12, 2016 | Blog, Election 2016, Tax Reform
What does Donald Trump have to hide? The New York Times interviewed tax and real estate experts and reports that it’s likely the billionaire and Republican presidential candidate pays zero taxes – legally – taking full advantage of the loopholes available to the...
by Dave Johnson | Aug 12, 2016 | Blog, Election 2016, Trade, Trans-Pacific Partnership
[fve]https://youtu.be/_m1p5h1lFOg[/fve] One day after presidential candidate Hillary Clinton strongly underscored her opposition to the Trans-Pacific Partnership in a speech in Detroit, President Obama officially started the clock on a lame-duck congressional vote on...
by People's Action | Aug 12, 2016 | Breakfast
Clinton Embraces Populist Rhetoric "Clinton gives liberals nothing to worry about" in economic speech, says W. Post's Dave Weigel: "Nothing in the speech nodded at Republicans, or the center-right goals Democrats have conceded since the Reagan era. Not only was there...
by Robert Borosage | Aug 12, 2016 | Blog, Economy, Election 2016, Jobs and Growth, Progressive Vision
This week, a policy debate threatened to break out in the presidential campaign. Amid the insults (“crooked Hillary,” “unfit Trump”), purblind lunacy and rolling scandals, invented and real, the two presidential candidates traveled to Michigan to lay out contrasting...
by Richard Eskow | Aug 12, 2016 | Blog, Jobs and Growth
A new economic working paper reinforces an important reality: We need more government spending to repair the economy for millions of working Americans. Unfortunately, our political debate is being held back by an economic myth – one that has yet to be challenged in...
by Bill Scher | Aug 11, 2016 | Blog, Conservatism, Election 2016
No one expects newly declared independent candidate Evan McMullin to become president, let alone get on many ballots or crack one percent in the total vote. Yet his candidacy may still perform below expectations. He is a stand-in for conservatives who deem Donald...
by Jeff Bryant | Aug 11, 2016 | Blog, Education
In a political season that's been dominated by populism it should come as no surprise that a grassroots uprising is having an effect on education policy as well. Two recent events showcase exactly how the populist fervor in the nation is redrawing the education policy...
by People's Action | Aug 11, 2016 | Breakfast
Left Unsettled By Clinton Strategy Support for Clinton from hawks unnerves left. W. Post: "...said Glenn Greenwald, ... 'I think she’s receiving those endorsements because they like what her foreign policy will be. That’s what worries me.' ... 'I don’t like it, but it...
by Dave Johnson | Aug 11, 2016 | Blog, Election 2016, Trade
[fve]https://youtu.be/ZDJOMSFdEJw[/fve] Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton says she opposes the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) but is having trouble convincing people to believe her. Imagine the trouble Hillary Clinton will have trying to build support...
