by n0madic, posted on Monday, July 18th, 2011 at 7:35 am
Like a lot of progressives, I’ve been troubled by the President’s response to the debt ceiling crisis which Republicans in Congress have been engineering lately. I’m not a deficit hawk. I believe we need more social investment, not less. So, as far as I’m concerned, both sides of this negotiation are on the wrong side of the debate.
And it’s not just that allowing the debate to narrow in this manner leads us to bad policy choices. It’s also bad politics.
Having the nominal leader of the Democratic Party himself opening the door to the possibility of Medicare cuts, even if it’s just some sort of negotiating ploy, undercuts the efficacy of a key campaign message that Democrats need to be able to run on in 2012: opposition to the desire of Paul Ryan and the Republicans to cut Medicare.
So, when the Progressive Change Campaign Committee began circulating a petition that it hoped would stiffen Obama’s spine in these negotiations, I signed on. And I posted a link to it on my Facebook wall as well, hoping that others of a like mind would sign the pledge, too.
by Downtowner, posted on Monday, July 18th, 2011 at 7:30 am
I had a theory about why Bill Foster was running for Congress again, this time in the newly redistricted IL-11. It had to do with the fact that his terminal financial disclosure statement from his stint in IL-14 showed that he’s sold out of ETC (the company owned jointly with others, including his brother who ran the business) and his wealth at that time seemed to be locked up in a promissory note, in combination with the fact that his campaign essentially owed him a million dollars – i.e. he was a million in debt. To himself.
My theory was influenced as well by persistent rumors I heard at the time of Foster’s last campaign against Hultgren, that he was rather bored in Congress, would like to return to physics, etc, etc. Not rumors I had ever passed along as, so far as I could tell, they came from no one very close to him and seemed speculative at best. But I heard them frequently enough that I was surprised to hear he was interested enough in being in Congress to decide to run in IL-11. And then there is the lack of any staff as of his first new FEC filing of this campaign – not even a professional fundraiser.
So my theory was simple: Foster had decided to run to raise enough cash to pay himself back that million dollar loan to his campaign fund, and if he won, okay, but if he lost, well that would be okay too. Now I think that theory is simply wrong. (more…)
by John Laesch, posted on Tuesday, July 12th, 2011 at 6:16 pm
During a tough 2010 political campaign, Governor Quinn negotiated raises with members of the American Federation State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) union. On July 1, 2011, Governor Quinn cancelled those raises for more than 30,000 state workers.
This afternoon, fifty to seventy-five citizens rallied in Aurora, IL to call on Governor Pat Quinn to keep his word and honor long overdue wage increases for state
workers. The Aurora event was part of a statewide, 75-rally day of action and a majority of the participants were AFSCME members. Representatives from other unions and local businesses also participated in the action.
by John Laesch, posted on Sunday, June 26th, 2011 at 9:30 pm
I attended the Northern Illinois Jobs With Justicemonthly meeting this weekend to learn about another chapter in the ongoing war on the middle class. Buddy
Howard, a locked out worker from Roquette, a French-owned company in Keokuk, Iowa, attended the meeting to share his story. Buddy is one of the 240 BCTGM Local 48G members who have been locked out since Sept. 28, 2010.
After the meeting, Buddy shared his story with radio host Adam Klugman. You can listen by clicking the link.
by Downtowner, posted on Tuesday, June 21st, 2011 at 8:25 pm
Okay, it’s a finished basement, nice cozy furniture, big screen TV, great place to ride out a bad storm. Tornado warning in effect until 9 p.m. National Weather Service says the storm should hit this town – Geneva – at around 8:20 p.m.
With all the truly destructive tornados lately, I think we’re all taking these warnings a little more seriously.
Okay, having just typed that I went to take a look at the south – this storm is blowing from south to north, somewhat unusual for this area, usually we get west to east. Watched a wall of clouds just roll over in a matter of minutes. Instant dark. Will be back with more if there is more.
Update: It’s 8:53 p.m., which puts us seven minutes short of the tornado warning ending, but the worst of this storm has blown past – still raining like crazy, lots of thunder and lighting, but the wall-o-wind is past…lots of small tree branches, and one bigger one, down in the yard.
by Downtowner, posted on Monday, June 20th, 2011 at 12:11 pm
Although I can’t claim to study it, I usually at least read the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s Annual Most Endangered Historic Places List. This year, I was struck by something that seems to me to be unusual; I can’t remember a list so replete with sites that are endangered not by residential or commercial development, but rather by negative environmental impacts, whether those are represented by erosion and storms, or by mining and oil-well placement.
On the list and endangered by environmental threats are:
Bear Butte, South Dakota
Fort Gaines, Alabama
Greater Chaco Landscape, New Mexico
Isaac Manchester Farm, Pennsylvania
Also of note on this 11 most endangered list is item 11: “Sites Imperiled by State Actions” although I think they could have called this “State Inaction” because it amounts to funding for preservation projects drying up in states that are all experiencing budget shortfalls. And since I think we can all agree that “Our Endangered Economy” is impacting all 50 states, that would amount to just about every corner of the U.S. that is poised to lose important landmarks.
“The circle of life doesn’t end when people begin a life behind bars. Incarcerated women give birth; others become gravely ill. Do prisoners have the right to comfort as they approach death? If so, who will provide it? These are real questions that many working in the prison system have ignored–but not everyone. Our documentary of the week goes behind the walls of the maximum security Iowa State Penitentiary, where a prisoner-staffed hospice program has been touching the lives of patients and caregivers alike. Filmmaker Edgar Barens spent six months embedded with program participants, and the resulting film is the intimate Prison Terminal.”
To see more video from Prison Terminal, click here. For more information on the documentary, click here.
by VideoNewsService, posted on Wednesday, April 20th, 2011 at 9:04 pm
Chris Hedges, noted journalist and author, spoke at the University of Wisconsin at Madison on March 23, 2011. He gives a sweeping indictment of how the Liberal class in America has failed.
Click here to visit the VideoNewsService YouTube Channel.
by NScott, posted on Wednesday, March 23rd, 2011 at 1:13 pm
In light of the recent environmental tragedy in Japan, awareness of the growing threat of environmental toxins and pollutants has undoubtedly risen. When toxic materials enter our air and water supply, the consequences can be dire. Because the risks can be so severe, the Environmental Protection Agency has been tasked with the job of protecting the public health from these potential threats. Unfortunately, such a job is not too easy when some of the leading polluters are backed by corporate lobbyists who possess nearly endless funds. Proposing a legislation that limits greenhouse gas emissions throws a mighty wrench into the well-oiled machinery of corporate greed.
by VideoNewsService, posted on Monday, March 14th, 2011 at 7:17 pm
Congressman Dennis Kucinich gave the keynote speech Saturday March 12, 2011 at the historic Barrymore Theater in Madison, Wisconsin. Speaking to a packed house Kucinich time-after-time brought the audience to it’s feet responding to the passion of his words. Once again Kucinich is in the forefront of the battle to take back America for it’s citizens. When others hold back like Feingold and Obama Dennis takes action.
Click here to visit the VideoNewsService YouTube Channel.
