Why Is President Obama Protecting Monsanto?
While many of us were talking about same-sex marriage and feeling optimistic this week, President Barack Obama signed a spending bill into law on Tuesday, (HR 933), that has been rightly called the “Monsanto Protection Act.” The Monsanto Protection Act bars federal courts from being allowed to halt the sale or planting of genetically modified (or genetically [...]
Most Progressive POTUS
Good thing there is no such thing as President’s Day; whole notion of a national holiday to honor our commenders-in-chief seems a bit un-American to me. The good news is the legal reason for the day off is for George Washington’s birthday, who deserves his own holiday far less than does Abraham Lincoln. Yeah, Washington [...]
Feb 17: Protest the Pipeline
The environmental movement – and the planet it wants to protect – will come to a fork in the road on Feb. 17. Tens of thousands of people will descend on DC to demand that President Obama kill the Keystone Pipeline once and for all. And he might do it. On the other hand, he [...]
What Will Obama Gun Regulation Accomplish?
Recent controversy over which actual weapons were used at Sandy Hook, including MSNBC’s report as to whether an assault weapon was used at all, is likely to have no impact on the government response moving forward. Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy Similarly, the fact that the government told [...]
POTUS Weighs In On RI Marriage Equality Bill
A political heavy hitter has weighed in on marriage equality in Rhode Island – and I don’t mean Bishop Tobin. The Washington Blade, a LGBT newspaper in Washington D.C. asked President Barack Obama specifically about the Ocean State’s effort to end marriage discrimination and here’s the response White House spokesperson Shin Inouye gave The Blade: [...]
Regressive Taxes Now Defines Progressive Victory
Progressives, liberals and Democrats have been getting their political butts kicked for so long that marginal defeats are starting to feel like victories. Such can certainly be said about Obama’s compromise on tax policy. The president campaigned on reversing tax breaks on those who make more than $250,000 a year. Instead he settled for increases [...]
Fiscal Cliff Negotiations, As Told By SNL, Robert Reich
Let’s hope this isn’t how negotiations go between President Obama and Speaker of the House John Boehner as they try to hammer out a deal on the fiscal cliff. Although the real joke is that Democrats could cave in spite of all the negotiating power they have… Just in case Obama and the Democrats do [...]
Democrats, Don’t Throw My House Off the Fiscal Cliff
With the election over, across the country progressives are wondering, will the 2nd Obama administration be more progressive than the first? I’m not holding my breath on that one. Of particular concern for me and for you if you’re a home owner, is the potential for a disastrous change in the home mortgage deduction. We’re [...]
Progress Report: Tax Fairness; the End of Reaganomics; Free Market Lesson for Mike Riley; Curating the News
If Obamacare’s survival was the biggest policy victory of the election, a close second has to be tax equity. In his first post-election presser, Obama said yesterday the nation needs to ask the richest 2 percent of the population to pony up a few more tax dollars if we’re to avoid a fiscal disaster. Congressional [...]
Progress Report: Why Public TV Matters; Public Cars for Legislators; Woonsocket School Committee; Climate Change
Remember way back in the days when we feared Mitt Romney might become president and, if he did, he would cut public funding to PBS? Well Rhode Island already beat Romney to this nightmare scenario for liberals … WSBE Ch.36 is being transitioned off the state payroll beginning this month, reports Bill Rappleye of WJAR, [...]
When Progressives Fight, Progressives Win
In 2008 progressives across America were basking in the warm glow of the nation’s first black president. A breeze of Democratic victories had blown through Congress and the long, dark night of the Bush era had given way to the rising sun of the Democratic super-majority. A Democratic executive branch and a bicameral legislative branch [...]
Progress Report: Tax Capacity and Our Failing Cities; Chafee Speculation; Ucci and Blazejewski; Stripped Bass; Burnside
Regardless of where you sit on the political spectrum, most agree that Rhode Island’s biggest concern should be the failing finances of our urban communities. GoLocal reports this morning in a piece on which local communities have the highest tax rates: “Some of the most dramatic increases are in urban communities facing financial distress. They [...]
Will Wants You to Vote
After months of information overload, debate, dirty tricks, predictions and more it’s finally time to get out there and vote. As an added bonus, Will Ferrell will do just about anything if you do. I have to say though, this Samuel L. Jackson “Wake the Fuck Up” video was my favorite campaign commercial of the [...]
Progress Report: Election Day! Dixville Notch Results In; Baited Breath in CD1; Obama Enjoys 92% Chance of Victory
The votes are already coming in … up in Dixville Notch, New Hampshire, traditionally the first town in America to report its results, Obama and Romney have battled to a draw among the 10 voters there. Let’s hope the David Cicilline fares better in the 1st District than Obama did in Dixville, though it could [...]
Progress Report: Horses and Bayonets for the Win; Profiles in Candidacy; Alexion Gets Tax Break, Amount Unknown
Good news, Democrats … Obama easily won the rubber match debate last night. And as a bonus, the president’s foreign policy poise coupled with Romney’s obvious lack of similar acumen will likely become a talking point for liberals and conservatives alike during the final 14 days. “Obama succeeded because he conveyed his unique view of [...]
Debate: ‘It’s Just Not True’ vs. ‘Binders Full of Women’
One of the really weird things about how we pick our president is the skill set it takes to get the gig has almost nothing to do with actually doing the job. No part of POTUS politics proves this more than the debates. Still, as the first debate showed in subsequent polls, they matter. The [...]
Progress Report: Protecting the Bay; GOP Slate Has No Experience; Obama Still Favorite; Stein in Providence
Go ProJo! The newspaper’s editorial board makes a great point this morning in advocating for passage of two bonds that would clean up local drinking water and Narragansett Bay. “Rhode Island’s environment — beautiful in much of the state — is one of its great comparative economic and social advantages, and plays a key role [...]
Progress Report: Romney False Appeals to Middle Class; True the Vote Update; Taveras v. Raimondo; Mark Binder
Presidential challengers almost always prevail over the incumbent in the first debate of the campaign, and to that end Mitt Romney and Barack Obama did not buck tradition as they faced off last night. But winning the Wednesday night battle might may come with some strings attached for the Republican candidate. Despite his empty rhetoric [...]
Obama Fundraiser Tonight at Blaze
Want to do your part to help Barack Obama get reelected? Or maybe you’re just looking for something fun to do tonight? Now you don’t have to choose as there is a fundraiser tonight for the president at Blaze on Hope St. at 6 p.m.
Progress Report: Hard Times for the Homeless in RI; Food Stamp Increase, Obama and Letterman Talk 47 Percent
So bad have things gotten in Rhode Island that the state’s largest homeless shelter has failed a building inspection. Jim Ryczek, executive director of the Rhode Island Coalition for the Homeless, told the Providence Journal, “It was pretty much a foregone conclusion that the shelter would not pass inspection. Harrington Hall is clearly not an [...]
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