We all make a choice at the ballot Unless you’re going to lock pregnant women up like a calf doomed-to-become-veal and investigate every miscarriage as a murder, abortions will always happen — and probably even then. The fact is: even making abortion illegal won’t make it go away. At least one study has shown abortion rates are higher in countries […]

Somebody tell America The day President Obama stepped into office he inherited a record projected $1.2 trillion deficit that turned out to be $1.4 trillion by the end of fiscal year 2009. This year the projected deficit is $759 billion, down from a projected $973 billion. That means the deficit of the president’s first year of his second term is […]

Chief Justice John Roberts, the man who appointed ALL of the judges to the FISA court Even before this session the Supreme Court, the Roberts “Citizens United” Court had already demonstrated an frightening willingness to rule on the behalf of corporations whenever possible. Senator Elizabeth Warren recently noted the 70% win rate of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce — America’s […]

As some debate whether this country has become more like George Orwell’s 1984 or Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World, keep in mind that for millions of Americans who have no time to debate such a lofty question, actual oppression exists. This oppression isn’t a overwhelming fear of the Thought Police or even a steady drugging that manufactures consent. It isn’t […]

If you’re a worker, a gay or lesbian couple, a teacher or a woman, Christie isn’t your boyfriend Charisma is a powerful thing, especially in politics. It can give you the appearance that you’re always trying to do the right thing, even when you’re just trying to save your ass or do your donors’ bidding. Governors Scott Walker and Rick […]

By ‘small’ government, we mean ‘ruthless and petty’ The “people’s filibuster” that has — at least temporarily — blocked Texas Republicans from closing nearly every women’s health clinic in the state has crucial connection to another big story from Tuesday. State Senator Wendy Davis, the woman who spoke for more than ten hours to block the bill from passing before […]

They can’t pass a farm bill but they can pass indefinite detention In the weeks since Edward Snowden released classified details about the NSA’s programs, the House GOP has reaffirmed the indefinite detention of American citizens, blocked the president’s plan to close Guantanamo Bay prison and held a hearing to defend the NSA. Meanwhile, Speaker Boehner joined Dick Cheney and […]

The biggest problem Democrats have  had in selling the Affordable Care Act is about to become its greatest strength. Approximately 85% of American adults are insured through their employer or the government. The vast majority of the insured will barely notice when Obamacare goes into effect in January of 2014. That doesn’t mean they won’t benefit from the law. Obamacare […]

Those who would give up essential liberty to give corporations more ‘freedom’ deserve aren’t that interested in freedom Three months after Senator Rand Paul’s super-important, epoch-changing 13-hour drone filibuster, more than 90% of House Republicans voted to continue the policy of indefinite detention and to keep the Guantanamo Bay prison open. But a small group of Republicans actually joined the […]

Austerity is supposed to be dead but Tuesday night the Senate voted to cut $4.1 billion from the “Heat and Eat” programs that supplement food assistance for seniors and those with disabilities. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) offered legislation last month that would block any cuts to the SNAP program. It was soundly defeated after Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), chair of […]

For the last three decades Republicans have bet on a proposition that has mostly paid off: Poor people don’t vote. As a result, they’ve championed an unprecedented transfer of wealth from workers to those who possess capital. And though they’ve lost 5 out of the 6 popular votes in presidential elections, they were able to use dark money and a […]