As usual the radical right is trying to rewrite history to argue that school choice (vouchers, etc.) are a long-time part of our history. Following is a rebuke by Diane Ravitch, our most ardent opponent of this anti-democratic practice of taking public money for private purposes. “Rick Hess makes a valiant but unsuccessful effort to … [Read more…]
I was one of the speakers at our Chain-Chain-Chain event Sunday. Here is what I said. The health care situation in this Congressional District is horrible! It is so bad that last week the PBS News Hour featured our area to show how terrible it is that Virginia did not expand Medicaid to cover more … [Read more…]
One of the most exciting and positive things happening in the political world is “Indivisible,” the new progressive opposition initiative. Last December, after the election of Donald Trump, four former congressional staffers put a document on-line to help mobilize citizens to resist Trump’s agenda of racism, authoritarianism, and corruption. Just as importantly the document provided … [Read more…]
“The campaign to make people sick to make rich people wealthier never sleeps,” so says the profane journalist, Charles Pierce, as he writes about the current efforts of Republicans to make minor tweaks to their medical care plan. These tweaks, of course, are just that, tweaks. Changes are unlikely to be substantial, but just enough … [Read more…]
“Every now and then we are going to have to do this: Step back from the daily onslaughts of insanity emanating from Donald Trump’s parasitic presidency and remind ourselves of the obscenity of it all, registering its magnitude in its full, devastating truth. There is something insidious and corrosive about trying to evaluate the severity … [Read more…]
Once again, Republicans in Congress—this time the Senators—pulled their evil medical care bill, the so-called Better Care Reconciliation Act. They did not bring it up for a vote as at least three Republican Senators would not vote to considerate the bill. Don’t celebrate just yet. As happened in the House of Representatives, the greatest hold … [Read more…]
The “(in)justice system murders Philandro Castile and rules itself not guilty,” says Julia Wallace of Black Lives Matter. I agree. This time a black man was shot seven times in front of his girlfriend and daughter, and once again, a police officer gets away with murder as he was ruled not guilty. What is it … [Read more…]
We Stand in Solidarity with Professor Johnny Williams. Fearing for his safety and that of his family, a friend and colleague, Professor Johnny Williams of Trinity College, has gone into hiding far from Hartford, Connecticut, where Trinity is located. He is publicly vilified. He has received several death threats, all because a conservative website, Campus … [Read more…]
Cory Booker is the first-term African-American Senator from New Jersey. He is always the fair-haired boy and often touted as a rising progressive star. A rising star, yes. A progressive, no. I just learned he joined Republicans last January to block the importation of cheaper prescription drugs from Canada. Some background: In every developed country … [Read more…]
While the country is fixated on Donald Trump’s shenanigans and the associated fallout, Republican senators are moving right along with their awful health care bill. They have expressed intentions to vote on the bill by the end of June, which is right around the corner. Significantly, however, they are doing so in secret. And they … [Read more…]