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Organizing as a Civil Right: How to Boost Labor and Reverse Inequality
These are dark days for the American labor movement – and, not coincidentally, for the American worker. Decades of globalization, technological change, and a relentless assault by employers and right-wing politicians have left unions gasping for air. Only about 7 percent of private sector workers belong to a union, down from 35 percent at the […]
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Political Ads: Overpriced, Inefficient, Essential
The 2012 political cycle is well on its way to being the most money-drenched of all time, as well as the most negative, with spending on TV ads – mostly of the scorched-earth variety – expected to top $3 billion. That’s serious money, even by today’s lurid standards. But what are the campaigns (and increasingly, outside […]
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Supreme Court Okays Obamacare! Now What?
After two years of uncertainty and months of heated, often inscrutable legal debate, the verdict on Obamacare is in: In a 5-4 decision, the Supreme Court ruled this morning that the Affordable Care Act — including the individual mandate, which requires that virtually all Americans purchase health insurance — is constitutional. Obama's signature legislative achievement […]
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Colbert: 'Maybe I'm a Conspiracy Theorist, but Barack Obama's Trying to Get Reelected'
President Obama announced last week that he will no longer deport illegal immigrants brought here as children who have a high school diploma and no criminal record. On last night's Report, Stephen Colbert contemplated this monumental policy announcement: "This is shocking, folks. Obama has now thrown open America's doors to people who are already here." […]
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Daily Show: 'All Obama Ever Does Is Ask Me For Money'
Barack Obama attended a $40,000-a-plate fundraiser dinner last week in New York City hosted by Sarah Jessica Parker. But, asked Jon Stewart on last night's Daily Show, "Are such celebrity-studded fundraising events appropriate in these troubled times?" He turned to correspondent Samantha Bee for insight. In the latest episode of Sam and the City, Sam explained that […]
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EPA Drone Rumors Get Halfway Around World While Truth Is Putting on Its Shoes
Apparently, accusing the Environmental Protection Agency of killing jobs and destroying American freedoms isn't enough for some Republicans. Now they're saying the EPA is using "drones" to "spy on" Midwestern farmers. In early June, after the right-wing web started buzzing with "reports" of drone surveillance of Nebraska and Iowa cattle farmers, Nebraska’s congressional delegation sent […]
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Why Tar Sands Oil Isn't Worth the Trouble
If the Keystone XL was going to pipe regular old oil from Canada to the U.S., it would be controversial enough. But it would be bringing tar sands, "the dirtiest kind of oil on Earth," 2000 miles south to the Gulf of Mexico. For a good explanation of why that would be a nightmare, check […]
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Domestic Drones Aren't All They're Cracked Up to Be
Drones – they're not just for raining death from foreign skies. Unmanned aerial vehicles are buzzing around in domestic airspace, too, in ever greater numbers, patroling the U.S.-Mexican border, hunting for pot farms, chasing down fugitives. They are the future of law enforcement. And boy, do they do a lousy job. Via the Center for […]
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Colbert Report: Inside an Orangutan Cyberterrorist Cell
Last night's Colbert Report Special Report revealed the latest threat in the War on Terror: "terror on the interwebs." Cyberterrorists could hack into our power grid, stock market, train systems, airlines, and gas pipelines, all with the mere click of an iPad. What's more, because these terrorists lurk in the shadows, they could be anywhere. Or […]
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Jon Stewart on Obama's 'Kill List'
The recent revelations about President Obama's "kill list" – and the image of the president personally selecting individuals to be blown to pieces by drones – are downright scary. Which is why Jon Stewart begged on last night's Daily Show: "Please tell me people are upset about this." And people are upset; it's just that, at […]
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