by Dave Johnson | Mar 9, 2016 | Blog, Election 2016
Politicians and campaign consultants, listen up. There is a lesson to learn from Michigan's Democratic primary upset: Voters are tired of having their intelligence insulted by cynical politicians using 90's-style "gotcha' politics." "Gotcha politics" is a tactic where...
by Terrance Heath | Mar 9, 2016 | Blog, Conservatism, This Is The GOP
“This is the party of Lincoln," House Speaker Paul Ryan said last week. "We believe all people are created equal in the eyes of God and our government.” But, the truth is, the party of Lincoln is long gone. It’s now the party of Jefferson Davis, Bull Connor, George...
by People's Action | Mar 9, 2016 | Breakfast
Bernie Win Upends Race Bernie puts together Rust Belt coalition. Time: "Sanders had a strong showing with white, working-class voters, many of whom were likely swayed to support his strong opposition to trade agreements ... many attributing the losses to trade deals...
by Robert Borosage | Mar 9, 2016 | Blog, Election 2016, Progressive Vision
Bernie Sanders shocked the political world with a stunning victory in the Michigan primary Tuesday night, coming back from 20 percent down in polling to win by some 2 percent of the vote. After all the weeks of commentary about Bernie Sanders' problem with black...
by Jim Hightower | Mar 8, 2016 | Blog, Conservatism, This Is The GOP
Why should you and I have to keep paying Mitch McConnell’s salary? The Kentucky Republican is the Senate majority leader, but he doesn’t lead much. In fact, he really doesn’t do much of anything. McConnell says “no” to every task at hand. Repair and replace the...
by Leo Gerard | Mar 8, 2016 | Blog, Trade, Trans-Pacific Partnership
Last year, free trade hammered Michigan’s 11th Congressional District, located between Detroit and Flint, killing manufacturing, costing jobs and crushing dreams. It’s not over, either. Another 11th District company, ViSalus Inc., told the state it would eliminate 87...
by People's Action | Mar 8, 2016 | Breakfast
Thomas Frank Book Event in DC, March 18 RSVP for AFL-CIO-sponsored discussion of Thomas Frank's new book "Listen, Liberal": "Drawing on years of research and firsthand reporting, Frank asserts that the Democratic Party has done too little to advance traditional...
by Sam Pizzigati | Mar 8, 2016 | Blog, Economy, Progressive Vision
The deep pockets that make up America’s top 1 percent have been on quite a run. Their share of the nation’s wealth, as economist Gabriel Zucman details in a new Stanford Center on Poverty and Inequality analysis, has soared from 25 percent in the 1970s to 42 percent...
by Dave Johnson | Mar 8, 2016 | Blog, Election 2016, Progressive Vision
In Sunday's Democratic presidential debate, just two days before Michigan's primary takes place, Hillary Clinton dropped a 'gotcha' bomb on Bernie Sanders, saying Sanders "was against the auto bailout." (Clinton is also running ads on Michigan radio making the same...
by Isaiah J. Poole | Mar 7, 2016 | Jobs and Growth, Progressive Vision
The conservative naysayers who predicted that New York City was going to fall into an economic abyss under the unapologetically progressive mayor Bill de Blasio are having to eat their words. The New York Times on Monday is the latest publication to find that New York...
by Bill Scher | Mar 7, 2016 | Blog
At Real Clear Politics, I explain why Donald Trump would get outspent in a general election against Hillary Clinton. She can be expected to raise at least $1.5 billion between her campaign and allied outside groups. He is not liquid enough to match her through...
by Jeff Bryant | Mar 7, 2016 | Blog, Education
In 2013, U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan tried to minimize the movement against standardized testing, saying it was confined to “white suburban moms.” Numerous state education officials across the country erected roadblocks to anyone trying to boycott the...
by People's Action | Mar 7, 2016 | Breakfast
Sanders, Clinton Scrap In Michigan Sanders presses Clinton on Wall Street and trade in Michigan debate. NYT: "He portrayed Mrs. Clinton as an unapologetic champion of free trade for much of her career, in hopes of hurting her with Rust Belt Democrats ... Mr. Sanders...
by Robert Borosage | Mar 7, 2016 | Blog, Election 2016, Progressive Vision
Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders won three of four state contests over the weekend. On the Republican side, Ted Cruz emerged as the leading challenger to Donald Trump in what is quickly becoming a two-man race. And the seventh Democratic debate, in...
by Terrance Heath | Mar 4, 2016 | Blog, Current Issues, This Is The GOP
After Thursday night’s performance in Detroit, the next Republican presidential debate may as well be held in a middle school boys locker room. It couldn’t have been more juvenile, even if the candidates ran around the stage snapping towels at one another. Coming on...
by Bill Scher | Mar 4, 2016 | Blog, Conservatism, Election 2016
Donald Trump is not supposed to be like other politicians. He's refreshing. He's not beholden to anyone. He tells it like it is. This is wrong. He is the worst kind of politician. He is megalomaniacal phony. He will say anything to anybody to satisfy his thirst for...
by Isaiah J. Poole | Mar 4, 2016 | Blog, People's Budget, Progressive Vision
The Congressional Progressive Caucus has released its People's Budget for fiscal 2017, featuring a $1 trillion commitment to rebuilding America's infrastructure that includes billions of dollars to replace water lines in Flint, Mich., and elsewhere. The budget is...
by Dave Johnson | Mar 4, 2016 | Blog, Trade
The U.S. Census Bureau reported Friday that the January goods and services trade deficit was an enormous, humongous $45.68 billion. The January goods deficit was $63.7 billion, offset by an $18 billion services surplus. Both imports and exports were down, but exports...
by People's Action | Mar 4, 2016 | Breakfast
Trump Hammered, Accepted At Debate Trump grilled over Trump University. Slate: "... Trump, after the debate, tweeted an image of an 'A' rating ... Trump U did, however, have a D-minus rating at one point before it was renamed ... A lead plaintiff is now getting out of...
by Robert Borosage | Mar 4, 2016 | Blog, Jobs and Growth
The monthly Bureau of Labor Statistics jobs report offered good news with 242,000 new jobs created in February, while headline unemployment remained at 4.9 percent. February marked a record 72 months of private sector jobs growth, with some 12.5 million more jobs now...
by Robert Reich | Mar 3, 2016 | Blog, Economy, Progressive Vision
Not day goes by, it seems, without the mainstream media bashing Berney Sanders’s economic plan – quoting certain economists as saying his numbers don’t add up. (The New York Times did it again just yesterday.) They’re wrong. You need to know the truth, and spread it....
by Jeff Bryant | Mar 3, 2016 | Blog
The rapid expansion of the charter school industry across the country continues to be dogged by high-profile scandals, lurid news reports, and studies showing widespread corruption and fraud. The parade of toxic stories about charter schools prompted former PBS...
by Isaiah J. Poole | Mar 3, 2016 | Retirement Security
It's bad enough that the move toward individual retirement plans has been a massive failure when it comes to providing average working Americans retirement security. But now there's research that shows that our dependence on individual retirement plans adds fuel to...
by People's Action | Mar 3, 2016 | Breakfast
GOP Debate Night Republicans debate on Fox at 9 PM ET. Megyn Kelly will again question Donald Trump. NYT: "...Trump will be at center stage, fending off attacks from his remaining rivals and questions from what could be fairly described as his least favorite...
by Terrance Heath | Mar 3, 2016 | Conservatism, Current Issues, Progressive Vision, This Is The GOP
The Republican establishment has run out of time to stop Donald Trump. The Republican Party is now the party of Trump. As Chauncey Devega wrote, the transformation is plain: “The Republican Party is the country’s largest white identity organization; in the post-civil...
by Jim Hightower | Mar 2, 2016 | Blog, Health
If you wonder why Congress critters keep ignoring what the people want them to do — while doing things that people don’t want them doing — take a peek at the unique PR campaign now being run by the pharmaceutical industry. The public is dismayed and disgusted by the...
by Dave Johnson | Mar 2, 2016 | Blog, Election 2016, Trade
Many people don't "get" Donald Trump's appeal, ascribing it to his racist, xenophobic talk. But there is another factor, a very strong one, and we had best pay attention. Trump is tapping into an economic anxiety felt by many, many Americans. Our trade policies are at...
by Isaiah J. Poole | Mar 2, 2016 | Financial Reform
BREAKING: @DWStweets just sold out families by siding with predatory lenders on new bill H.R. 4018 #StopTheDebtTrap pic.twitter.com/UypazK6Gyf— NPA (@NPAction) March 1, 2016 Consider this number: $8.2 billion. What could families living in depressed communities...
by People's Action | Mar 2, 2016 | Breakfast
Trump Trumps Tuesday Trump wins most, but Cruz swipes three states. UPI: "Trump did not, however, win the night's single biggest prize: Texas. The Lone Star State chose Sen. Ted Cruz [as did] neighboring Oklahoma and in Alaska ... making Cruz the only candidate to win...
by Robert Borosage | Mar 2, 2016 | Blog, Election 2016, Progressive Vision
Super Tuesday offered few surprises. Donald Trump won big, but not as big as he had hoped. Hillary Clinton won, but not as big as she had hoped, with Bernie Sanders winning four of 11 states. It is still early – only 15 states have voted – but views on these...
by Robert Reich | Mar 1, 2016 | Blog, Conservatism, This Is The GOP
You are the captains of American industry, the titans of Wall Street, and the billionaires who for decades have been the backbone of the Republican Party. You’ve invested your millions in the GOP in order to get lower taxes, wider tax loopholes, bigger subsidies, more...
by Bernie Horn | Mar 1, 2016 | Blog, Conservatism, Democracy, This Is The GOP
As you know, on Wednesday the Supreme Court hears arguments on Whole Woman's Health v. Hellerstedt, a case that considers the constitutionality of a Texas anti-abortion law (HB 2). I write because you are obviously the swing vote. I am familiar with your record and...
by Leo Gerard | Mar 1, 2016 | Blog, China Currency Showdown, Trade, Trans-Pacific Partnership
It’s lights out in Lorain on March 31. The town’s steel mill, site of a new electric arc furnace and $120 million investment, had given 1,200 Ohioans good middle-class jobs this time last year. But by April, a relentless avalanche of underpriced Chinese steel will...
by People's Action | Mar 1, 2016 | Breakfast
Super Tuesday Coverage with Ed Schultz and Larry Cohen Want progressive TV coverage of today's primaries? Ed Schultz, who has moved from MSNBC to RT television, will present Super Tuesday election coverage on expanded version of his new show, with Larry Cohen (former...
by Richard Eskow | Mar 1, 2016 | Blog, Trade
A new study confirms what many activists have suspected for a long time: The private courts set up by international "trade" deals heavily favor billionaires and giant corporations, and they do so at the expense of governments and people. Smaller companies and...
by Dave Johnson | Mar 1, 2016 | Blog, Conservatism, Democracy
A Supreme Court justice has died. Normally (and according to the Constitution) the process is that the president nominates a successor, the Senate holds hearings, and there is a vote on whether to confirm that nominee. According to the Constitution, that's their job,...
by Dave Johnson | Feb 29, 2016 | Blog, Trade, Trans-Pacific Partnership
"Watch what we do, not what we say." - Nixon Attorney General John Mitchell, explaining that the Nixon administration will be pursuing a hidden agenda, no matter what they are telling the public. Forget everything the Obama administration is telling the public about...
by Terrance Heath | Feb 29, 2016 | Blog, Current Issues, This Is The GOP
Donald Trump can’t disavow the support of former Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke for the same reason the Republican party can’t disavow his candidacy — and it could splinter the GOP vote in 2016. A new Democracy Corp likely voter survey of Republican base voters...
by Isaiah J. Poole | Feb 29, 2016 | Economy, Election 2016
A heated debate over an analysis of presidential candidate Bernie Sanders' economic agenda continues today with dueling commentaries over whether its conclusions of phenomenal economic growth were based on an error – and whether that error discredits the entire...
by Bill Scher | Feb 29, 2016 | Blog
A bombshell New York Times report, about how the Republican Establishment has been unable to stop Donald Trump, reveals that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell plans to disown Trump if he becomes the nominee: ...Mr. McConnell has begun preparing senators for the...
