The wage gap between men and women is finally starting to close-but only because male wages are falling, according to a new briefing paper released Tuesday by the Economic Policy Institute. “No one in this country should work full-time and live in poverty,” said Massachsetts Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren at a Capitol Hill press conference […]
Blog: TAPPED
Posted inAmerica and the World
Republicans Call Bernie Sanders Absurd for Agreeing with the Pentagon
During last Saturday’s Democratic debate on CBS, the moderator asked Bernie Sanders if he still believed that climate change is the greatest threat to national security-and he said yes. Republican senators scoffed at his claim that climate change could lead to destabilization and more terrorism, calling it “unrelated,” “disingenuous,” and even “absurd.” But what the […]
Posted inMoney, Politics, and Power
The Koch Brothers’ Political Surveillance
Just how influential are the Koch brothers? It’s common knowledge that the billionaire industrialists have funneled hundreds of millions into American elections via a broad network of conservative tax-exempt groups. The Koch network’s estimated $889 million budget for the 2016 election rivals what will be spent by the national political party committees. But the true […]
Posted inWorking in America
Casino Capitalism, Part II
In olden times, when you read about the Nevada Gaming Commission looking into the ownership of Las Vegas casinos, the story was always about the commissioners sniffing around for evidence of organized crime’s hidden interests. As anyone who’s watched Martin Scorsese’s Casino (which sticks fairly close to Vegas’s actual history) can attest, the Mafia families […]
Posted inEducation in America
The Mizzou Scandal Shows Why Black Colleges Are Still Vital
University of Missouri President Tim Wolfe’s resignation Monday underscores how even in 2015, majority-white institutions remain potentially unsafe places for black students. The events leading up to Wolfe’s resignation-the racist verbal assaults on campus, the swastika written in feces in a residential hall, and ultimately the administration’s inadequate response to students’ concerns-are all too familiar […]
Posted inMoney, Politics, and Power
On Minimum Wage, Put Hillary Down for $12 (Nationally)
At a campaign event in Iowa on Tuesday night, Hillary Clinton officially established a clear difference between her and the two remaining Democratic presidential contenders. She declared her support for raising the federal minimum wage to $12. “That would be setting it at a level that would be equivalent to the point in our history […]
Posted inWorking in America
Labor and Climate Groups Blast TPP as Full Text is Released
The United States Trade Representative released the full text of the Trans-Pacific Partnership today, one month after negotiators finalized the massive 12-nation pact in Atlanta. The release kicks off a 90-day window before President Obama can sign the deal and turn it over to Congress for approval. In a statement released today on Medium, Obama […]
Posted inEnergy and the Environment
The Keystone Effect
Just hours after the White House indicated it would make a decision on the Keystone XL Pipeline by the end of Obama’s second term, TransCanada made a sharp left on its years-long effort to quickly secure approval. Perhaps sensing that the Obama administration was poised to kill the project (turns out, they were probably right), […]
Posted inEducation in America
Judge Issues Restraining Order After an L.A. Charter Network Interfered with Teachers Union Drive
Drama has escalated for teachers organizing at the Alliance College-Ready Public Schools, the largest charter network in Los Angeles. Since the teachers, organizing with United Teachers Los Angeles (UTLA), first went public with their union drive in March, they allege the administration has erected illegal barriers to organizing, including intimidating their employees. (Alliance denies these […]
Posted inMoney, Politics, and Power
Oh Yeah, Tomorrow Is Election Day: A Preview of Ballot Measures in Four States
While coverage of the 2016 presidential election (which is still 12 months away) ramps up, it’s easy to forget that tomorrow is still Election Day. The national political stakes may not be high, but there are a number of ballot measures that could have resounding impacts on state and city-level politics. Here’s a quick preview […]
