With Life So Good, Who Needs the American Jobs Act?
According to an article in the Wall Street Journal today, "From 2000 to 2010, median income in the U.S. declined 7% after adjusting for inflation, according to Census data. That marks the worst 10-year performance in records going back to 1967." The Walt Street Journal goes on to say that they don't expect incomes to recover until 2021, even then only about 5% will be regained. This announcement comes on top of our 9.1% unemployment with actual unemployment more like 20%. Welcome to the Republican JobTopia. More Info >
The Supreme Court Made Oil Companies Citizens, But Who Will Make Them Patriots?
We’ve all shouldered the burden of the economic recession. Some of us have faced unemployment of 9 to 20%. Some of us have seen our 401k plans wither. Others have seen their pension plans drained by the economic downturn. Middle class wages have actually decreased by almost $1,000 in real terms over the last decade. But only a select few of us have had to share the burden of over $1 trillion in profits over that same decade.More Info >
The Myth That America Is A Center Right Nation
Celebrating Our Independence From Another Right Wing Falsehood
With the birth of our nation fresh on our minds it seems like the right time to bask in the glow of the rocket’s red glare as the myth of America as a center right nation explodes in front of us. The question for our republican friends is, if we are a center right nation, why are you so afraid of people voting?More Info >
The Grimm Reality of American Politics
Influence Trumps Ideas
If you hadn't heard, our Congressman, Michael Grimm had yet another scandal break this weekend. The allegations are many but can be summarized into illegally raising money for his 2010 campaign. Yes, it's what you might expect, or at the very least what you might fear.
How Money In Politics Drives Politicians To Do Strange Things In Far Away Places
If you haven’t heard or seen the coverage, State Senator Marty Golden is involved in another corruption scandal. In exchange for generous contributions to upstate GOP campaigns, Brooklyn State Senator Marty Golden inserted some language into an affordable housing bill that gives millions of dollars in tax breaks to five Manhattan developers. More Info >
The Elephant In The Room
Why the Deficit, the Debt Ceiling and the Fiscal Cliff are Just Elaborate Distractions
If you are like me you are growing increasingly frustrated with our ongoing national distraction from the core issue facing our nation. In the midst of the Great Recession, we find ourselves in a 3 year GOP inspired series of purposeful crises. How we can be focused on taxes, the deficit, and the debt ceiling in the face of such great need for job creation is virtually impossible for me to fathom.More Info >
The 180 Alert
How The Things Said On The RIght Couldn’t Be Further From The Truth.
It goes without saying that politicians on all sides have a tendency to bend the facts to fit their rhetoric. A little lie here, a little lie there, it’s common knowledge and accepted. There seems to be a new approach that pushes this to the extreme. I’d like to introduce you to the latest right wing weapon I call “the 180.” Increasingly we find our friends on the right saying things that aren’t just lies, but literally are the complete opposite of the truth.More Info >
Staten Island & Brooklyn Working Together
To Rebuild The American Dream
A growing group of Americans are taking to the streets and are engaging in creating the kind of change we want and need for our country. There are so many issues that need fixing, not the least of which is the way our naton’s politics get done. But rather than complain, or sit at home frustrated, we here in Brooklyn and in Staten Island have decided it’s time to do something.More Info >
Statement on Moreland Commission Preliminary Report and Federal Appeals Court "Super PAC" Ruling
Systemic Reforms and Fair Elections System Will End Era of Pay To Play Politics in Albany
Yesterday the Moreland Commission released it's preliminary report on public corruption in New York. The commission has indicated that it has "discovered criminality", but that the real crime is that much of the corruption they have discovered is completely legal. More Info >
Rebuilding the American Dream
Bay Ridge Gets In The Fight
On Sunday an energized group of 15 citizens from Bay Ridge and Brooklyn joined with over 25,000 other Americans at over 1,500 Rebuild the Dream events nationwide. We spent about two hours getting to know and understand each other’s perspective on the American Dream and then we got down to the business of discussing and debating the key issues of our day. More Info >
Pretending To Be Serious
Republicans, The Debt Limit And The Deficit
Yesterday Eric Cantor while arguing for Cut, Cap and Balance on the floor of the House said “We implore the other side to get serious.” The irony of a man who personifies a party that is anything but serious, lobbing criticisms across the aisle, while arguing for a bad piece of legislation, that will never pass the Senate is, well, perfectly ironic.More Info >
Please Think: This Isn’t The Kind of Exceptionalism We Need
This installation of please think is focused on how exceptional the modern republican party has become. The party that values exceptionalism has truly become exceptional, exceptionally hypocritical. More Info >
Please Think: The "People’s Candidate" At Odds With The People Again.
Soap And A Good Scrubbing Are Definitely In Order
Our very Grimm Congressman was at it again yesterday, spouting shear nonsense and vitriol among the rhetorical right wing talking points he dutifully delivered. If you are going to speak with such force, it's helpful to have the weight of the facts on your side. Yet again our representative failed to follow this simple rule.More Info >
Please Think: Republicans You Are Acting Like Anything But Conservatives
5 Key Facts About The Debt Ceiling Crisis
It’s difficult to believe that we are still talking about the debt ceiling crisis at this late hour, yet somehow the “debate” over raising the debt ceiling continues. Here are 5 quick points to consider about this increasingly troubling crisis.More Info >
Please Think: Mitch McConnell
Looking To The Founding Fathers For Guidance
Mr. McConnell you are a person of power, a person of privilege. What you say matters. What you say influences people. You are one of the leaders of our nation. These things being true it’s in our nation’s interests that when you act, when you speak, you please think.More Info >
On The 10th Anniversary Of 9/11 A Moratorium On The Word “Heroes”
Asking Our Politicians To Mean What They Say
As the 10th anniversary of 9/11 approaches we're already seeing the retrospective TV shows and there are sure to be thousands of events across the country this weekend to mark this tragic day. No doubt we'll hear politicians and pundits alike lauding the praises of our "heroes" of 9/11. I'm asking that they don't.
If you are not prepared to treat them as heroes, then please don't say the word. More Info >
Occupy Wall Street, Act On Your Street
Opportunities To Take Action On The 1%
As much as I support the efforts of the Occupy movement, I firmly believe that we must do more than Occupy, we must Act. Ultimately we will need to do more than express our frustration, we will have to do something about it. We will need to change our government, our elected officials, our communities, and ultimately ourselves.More Info >
Money-Out/Voters-In Day of Action
We Demand Democracy!
There is no greater issue facing us than that of big money in politics. If you need to be convinced please take a look at the very grim reality of American politics and why this is the issue of our time.
If you believe that something must be done, change can only happen when we demand change. This means we need you. Please get involved, and consider starting this Saturday and help us get money out and voters in.More Info >
Money In Politics
The Case For Why It Is The Issue of Our Time
We don't need to see facts to convince us, we know, deep in our core, that our system is out of control. We know that there is too much money. We know that there are very powerful forces at work influencing decisions. We know that often the best decisions are being killed in favor of no decision or worse yet the wrong decision.
Will we choose to paddle hard back to shore or will we be carried away by the raging torrent of money that is flooding our political system?More Info >
Marty’s Golden Opportunity
How Marty Is Making The Wrong Marriage Equality Move At The Right Time
It goes without saying that Marty is wrong on the issue of marriage equality but even if he were right the smart politician would at least consider the numbers. Poll after poll shows that for the first time in our history, a majority of Americans support marriage equality. More Info >
