Donald Trump just said, “you’re fired” to his campaign manager, Corey Lewandowski. This was predictable. In fact, it was predicted years ago in a traditional bluegrass folk song called “Darling Corey.” The Corey in the song is a woman, but otherwise it fits the tragedy of Corey Lewandowski to a tee. Her fate was sealed […]
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Posted inEconomic Policy
American Dream Fading Fast, Study Finds
When the American economy crashed in 2008, economists took care to use the term “Great Recession” to distinguish the severity of the first major downturn of the 21st century from the 1929 stock market crash that ended up in the history books as the Great Depression. But there’s one byproduct of the recession that has […]
Posted inLaw and Justice
Democrats Ramp Up Calls for Garland Confirmation Hearing
Senators Charles Schumer and Sheldon Whitehouse took to the steps of the Supreme Court Wednesday to demand that the Senate give Merrick Garland, President Obama’s Supreme Court nominee, a fair confirmation hearing. League of Conservation Voters (LCV) activists joined them, carrying boxes containing petitions with more than 200,000 signatures gathered nationwide calling on Republican senators […]
Posted inHousing and Transportation
Poverty, Not Gentrification, Is the Biggest Barrier to Affordable Housing
When the mainstream media cover housing affordability issues, journalists often hone in on gentrification. Young, mostly white, college educated people are moving into urban cities, they say, followed by yoga studios, coffee shops, and luxury apartments. This influx of affluent individuals allegedly fuels the displacement of the poor. These narratives may be popular, but research […]
Posted inHealth and Social Policy
McCain Pulls a Bait-and-Switch on Vets
Almost as soon as Senator John McCain had finished working with Senator Bernie Sanders to craft the veterans’ health-care bill now known as the Choice Act in 2014, the Arizona Republican set out to renege on his promise that Choice would be temporary, and began floating plans to make it permanent. Part of the Choice […]
Posted inMoney, Politics, and Power
Will Obama Heed Advocates’ Call to Act on Dark Money and Voting Rights?
President Obama used his final State of the Union address to call for a “better politics”-declaring, “We have to reduce the influence of money in our politics, so that a handful of families and hidden interests can’t bankroll our elections.” He added, “We’ve got to make it easier to vote, not harder. We need to […]
Posted inWorking in America
FEC Republicans Defend Employer Political Coercion Vote
Amid a burst of anger from Washington watchdogs, the Federal Election Commission’s three Republican commissioners have defended their recent decision to vote against investigating coal company Murray Energy’s alleged political coercion of salaried employees. Company executives had been accused of pressuring workers to contribute money to Murray Energy’s political action committee. But the Republican commissioners […]
Posted inMoney, Politics, and Power
Is Donald Trump a Bald Bald-Faced Liar?
It is well established that Donald Trump is a liar. Many journalists have documented his consistent disregard for the truth. For example, the highly regarded Politifact points out that 76 percent of Trump’s statements are “mostly false,” “false,” or “pants-on-fire” outrageous lies. But Politifact didn’t bother to investigate Trump’s comments about one of his most […]
Posted inEconomic Policy
CFPB Takes Aim at Payday Loan Debt Traps
For two decades, the payday loan industry has preyed on low-income workers by offering short-term loans with sky-high interest rates and fees. Now the five-year-old Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is taking the first major steps to curb the sector’s predatory practices. Under the proposed regulations announced this week, payday lenders must ensure that a borrower […]
Posted inMoney, Politics, and Power
Clinton, Senate Democrats Plan Broad Democracy Reforms
Democratic presidential frontrunner Hillary Clinton’s campaign is reportedly planning to roll out a sweeping platform of democracy reforms that builds on the campaign-finance overhaul she unveiled in September, say progressive advocates. Democracy advocates have been urging Clinton to more forcefully articulate her reform agenda on the campaign trail. Throughout the primary, Clinton has faced consistent […]
