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To Choose Not to Vote Is to Surrender Self-determination
Today is an election day in many parts of America. There are key gubernatorial races in Virginia and New Jersey. A single special election in a suburban Seattle district could win Democrats control of the Washington Senate and thus control of the entire state government. Charlotte, N.C., could elect the first black female mayor ever. A record 43 women are vying for seats in the Virginia House of Delegates. Voters in Maine will decide whether to extend Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act.
True Scandal In Puerto Rican Recovery Effort Is Trump's Dereliction
The scandals around in Puerto Rico's agonies are far greater than the bizarre contract to pay Whitefish Energy, a tiny Montana company from U.S. Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke's hometown, $300 million to restore electric lines.
John McCain, Patriot
Sen. John McCain is a patriot. Now, as he battles against a brutal affliction, he has earned recognition as a man of honor. He has served his country, often at great sacrifice. And even now, he is using his stature to warn this country against a wayward course.
Citizens Are Stepping Up to Help Puerto Rico -- The Government, Not So Much
Millions of Americans still face perilous conditions in Puerto Rico. Three weeks after Hurricane Maria savaged the island, over 80 percent still have no electrical power. Forty percent are without running water. Millions are in dire need of food. Water purification systems can't work without electricity.
We Must Rescue And Rebuild Puerto Rico
What obligations do we owe one to another as Americans? What does patriotism and citizenship mean in practice? Hurricane Maria's devastation of Puerto Rico has posed these questions. Americans should be dissatisfied with the way our federal government has responded.
We Americans Must Face Our Addiction to Guns
Fifty-eight dead and counting; 500 sent to hospitals. The deadliest mass shooting in modern American history took place Sunday in Las Vegas, as a lone gunman firing from a window on the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Hotel savaged a crowd gathered to watch a country music show. It was, as one observer noted, like shooting fish in a barrel. The automatic rifle fire lasted for minutes. The shooter didn't really have to aim; he only had to pull the trigger.
We Are a Better Nation Than Trump Understands
When Colin Kaepernick first took a knee during the national anthem last year, he acted alone, a silent protest against a society that repeatedly fails to hold police accountable for the killing of unarmed African-Americans. Kaepernick was condemned and now essentially has been banned from the NFL, with the owners surely colluding to insure that a quarterback of immense talent would not find a place among the dozens of teams desperately in need of one.
The Right to Vote Needs Constitutional Protection
Democracy is based on the power of the people choosing their leaders in a secret ballot. The right to vote is central to the legitimacy of any democratic system. Yet in the United States Constitution there is no federal right to vote. Voting rights are determined by the states. And in the states we witness a fierce struggle between those who seek to suppress the vote and those who seek to protect and extend it.
After Harvey And Irma, We Must Rebuild Responsibly
We have suffered brutal direct hits. Over half of the state of Florida is without power, in the dark. It is too soon to know what the losses are. Houston, America's fourth largest city, suffered the most extreme rain event in U.S. history. Casualties are mounting; damages are estimated at a staggering $125 billion.
Harvey, Noah and The Floods
It is too soon to know the extent of the damage done by Hurricane Harvey. Estimates are that over a million people have been displaced. As I write this, 49 are feared dead -- a number that will continue to climb. The governor of Texas estimated that his state will need "far in excess" of $125 billion in federal funding to help rebuild. Harvey broke the U.S. record for rainfall from a single storm. Houston, the fourth largest city in America, was hit with 50 inches of rain.
Donald Trump's Symbols and The Substance of Division
Symbols are important. Donald Trump, whose fortune is built upon a brand, and whose presidential campaign brandished symbols far more than reform ideas, knows that well.
America In the Mirror of Charlottesville
Racism, exposed once more in the terror visited on Charlottesville, Va., still scars America. Hundreds of neo-Nazis, white supremacists, klansmen and other fervid racists gathered -- some armed with assault rifles, wearing camouflage.
Trump Trains His Sights On Affirmative Action
Campaigning for the presidency, Donald Trump argued that blacks and other people of color should vote for him. Given their current conditions, he argued, "What the hell do you have to lose?" Since winning election, however, Trump seems intent on proving over and over again just how much African-Americans and other minorities have to lose.
Donald Trump's Dangerous Delusions On Police Brutality
Donald Trump often seems more shock jock than president. He likes to shock, say or tweet outrageous things, prove that he's not just another politician. But now he is president; his words have impact, and his posturing can be dangerous.
The Fraudulent 'voter fraud' Commission
There's a branch in philosophy called epistemology that deals with the theory of knowledge. How do we know what we know? How do we know what is true? What is believable? And what are the criteria we use to tell whether something is true or not? Considering his constant refrain of "fake news," maybe President Donald Trump should enroll in such a course.
There Is No Market for Trump's Values
Candidates say campaigns are about articulating programs, issues and priorities. But people vote for candidates based on how that person makes them feel. Consciously or unconsciously, elections are about giving voice to values.
Facing the Assault On Civil Rights
The Trump administration has launched an unprecedented rollback of civil rights and voting rights. Those who care about building a more perfect union face harsh headwinds. We've gone from an administration seeking to fulfill these rights to one seeking to repeal these rights.
Time for a Citizens' Commission On Defending the Right to Vote
Donald Trump's commission on "election integrity" is meeting sensible resistance. The commission issued letters calling on states to provide it with extensive personal information on all voters, including names, addresses, birthdates, party affiliation, the last 4 digits Social Security numbers, military status and criminal records. This data collection would be targeted by every cyber thief in the world. At least 20 states have already indicated that they would not comply completely, including California, New York, Texas and more.
An Unconscionable Republican Health Care Bill
How devastating would the Republican health care legislation be if enacted? Leighton Ku, a leading health care expert and director of director of the Center for Health Policy Research at the Milken Institute School of Public Health at George Washington University, told NBC that, based on the Republican House bill, cuts in funding for Medicaid and health subsidies would trigger "sharp job losses and a broad disruption of state economies."
Trump's Erratic Foreign Policy Is Putting America at Risk
In his campaign, Donald Trump promised that "we're going to start winning again." In office, he has defined winning largely in military terms. His budget decimates the State Department while adding billions to the Pentagon. He boasts that he's delegated decisions on force levels abroad to the Pentagon. Secretary of Defense Mike Mattis recently announced that 4,000 more troops would be sent to Afghanistan. Four thousand more troops won't produce a "win" in Afghanistan. The president has it wrong. America's military is already the best in the world. But for America to "start winning," we need more smart diplomacy, not more smart bombs.
Trump's Ridiculous Cuba Reversal
In his perverse fixation on overturning all things Obama, Donald Trump now turns his attention to Cuba, the island located 90 miles off our shores. Reports are that the President plans to travel to Florida to announce that he will reverse Obama's opening to Cuba, reinstate restrictions on the right of U.S. citizens to travel to Cuba and curtail business opportunities that Obama had opened up by executive order.
Illinois Strengthens the Right to Vote
Illinois is about to make voter registration automatic. The Senate and House have passed reform bills unanimously. If the governor signs the final reconciled legislation, Illinois will become the ninth state, in addition to the District of Columbia, to adopt automatic voter registration. The bill would begin to register more than 1 million eligible but unregistered voters in Illinois. Even as states continue to pass legislation to restrict voting, this reform promises to open the doors wider.
Donald Trump's Broken Promise to the Vulnerable
Of all of Donald Trump's broken campaign promises, none is more cruel than his broken promise on health care.
Venezuela Needs a Helping Hand, Not a Hammer Blow
If you have a hammer, everything looks like a nail. The United States has a big hammer: the military, plus the intelligence community's covert intervention forces. So we are dropping bombs from drones in seven countries.
The Lie About Voter Fraud Is The Real Fraud
After President Donald Trump fired FBI Director James Comey because of, as Trump admitted, the "Russian thing," he struck a new blow to American democracy: He created a commission on "election integrity," stemming from his fantastical claims of voter fraud in the 2016 election.
Death by Tax Cuts: The Republican Health Care Plan
Donald Trump hosted a celebration in the White House Rose Garden for House Republicans after they passed their party's health care plan by the thinnest of margins. They were celebrating what Trump called a "win," without any thought about consequences.
Trump's Damaging Start
The reviews of Donald Trump's first 100 days have generally focused on his failures, flip-flops and follies. We've heard a lot about what he's failed to achieve, but far too little about what he is intent on doing.
President Donald Trump Succeeds in Trashing Civil Rights
The reviews of Donald Trump’s first 100 days have generally focused on his failures, flip-flops and follies. We’ve heard a lot about what he’s failed to achieve, but far too little about what he is intent on doing.
Jeff Sessions Is Creating a Department of Injustice
As Donald Trump nears the end of his first 100 days, media commentary focuses primarily on how little he has achieved in comparison to other presidents. It's a mistake, however, to discount the threat that the Trump administration poses to our fundamental rights. His attorney general, former Alabama Sen. Jeff Sessions, is a case in point.
Rahm Emanuel's Education Plan Falls Short
Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel sincerely wants to do something to improve Chicago schools. I have no doubt of that. Unfortunately, his proposal -- called "Learn. Plan. Succeed." -- falls short of the mark.
Decision to Bomb Syria is Dangerous, Deceptive
Fifty-nine cruise missiles. When Donald Trump ordered the attack on Syria, he made an impetuous decision, turning his previous commitment to stay out of the Syrian civil war and focus on ISIS on its head. He ordered the attack on a sovereign nation without seeking sanction from the United Nations or the U.S. Congress. For this, he received lavish praise from the media and bipartisan congressional support. He'll undoubtedly enjoy a boost in the polls.
In Troubled Times, Some Struggle for A Better Nation
On April 4, the 49th anniversary of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, thousands will join Fight for $15 and the Movement for Black Lives to march in Memphis and in cities across the country in the fight for decent pay and racial justice.
After Trumpcare Debacle, President Must Reach Out to Democrats
The decision of House Republicans to torpedo the American Health Care Act (AHCA), their own leadership's plan to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act (ACA), is a stunning defeat for President Trump and House Speaker Paul Ryan.
March Massacre: Trump's Budget Plan Is Ruthless
ts often seem impenetrable, packed with a blizzard of numbers too big to comprehend. But budgets are value statements. They tell us what we value and what we discount. President Donald Trump's budget reveals who counts and who does not.
The Trump Administration's Lies Are Starting to Hurt
For many of his supporters, Donald Trump's casual relationship with the truth was at first amusing, part of his brash, anti-establishment appeal. He says what he thinks, went the argument, and if it isn't true, so be it. His voters, we were told, have learned to take him seriously but not literally.
A Tale of Two Cities: Selma and Shelby County
In "A Tale of Two Cities," Charles Dickens contrasted the plight of the poor in France with the lavish wealth of the aristocracy, the city of need with the city of greed. That harsh exploitation eventually erupted in the French Revolution, and the brutal revenge of the revolutionaries on their former oppressors.
Sessions Opens the Door Again to Privatized Prisons
Next week, March 7, will mark the 52nd anniversary of Bloody Sunday, the historic march and shocking police riot in Selma, Ala., that helped build public support for passage of the Voting Rights Act.
Tackling Poverty And Segregation, Not Tough Talk, Is The Solution To Chicago's Woes
Donald Trump is fixated on what he describes as the "carnage" going on in Chicago, suggesting that if Chicago's horrendous homicide rate doesn't come down, he'll "send in the feds." At his recent press conference, he announced plans to create "a task for reducing violent crime in America, including the horrendous situation -- take a look at Chicago and others -- taking place right now in our inner cities."
Civil Rights Will Suffer Under Sessions
Donald Trump's first three weeks in office have left Americans reeling from what Republican speechwriter Peggy Noonan called his "cloud of crazy." His cabinet nominees seem intentionally perverse: an education secretary who has no clue about public schools; an energy secretary who wanted to eliminate the department; a treasury secretary from Goldman Sachs who ran a home foreclosure factory.
Trump's Banker Minion Prepares to Gut Consumer Watchdog
"Personnel is policy," says Gary Cohn, the former president of Goldman Sachs recently named to head President Trump's National Economic Council. He got that right, and every working family should shudder that Trump -- after railing against the corruptions of Goldman Sachs and other big banks in the campaign -- has put six former Goldman Sachs bankers at the head of his economic team.
Trump's Latest Provocation and Its Unintended Consequences
President Donald Trump's most recent provocation -- suddenly issuing an order banning the admission into the United States of refugees and immigrants from seven predominantly Muslim countries -- created chaos and fury that had to be expected.
Will Trump Choose to Govern With Grace Or In Denial?
In his combative inaugural address, Donald Trump promised that his inauguration would be remembered "as the day the people became the rulers of this nation again." He celebrated "a historic movement, the likes of which the world has never seen before." At its center, he said, was a "crucial conviction: that a nation exists to serve its citizens."
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s Reflection and Action
How should Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday be celebrated? It should be celebrated in many different ways.
More Than Obama's Legacy at Stake in ACA Repeal
President Obama returns to sweet home Chicago Tuesday night to say farewell to the nation. It will be an evening of joy, tears and pride in a job well done, despite the harsh headwinds of resistance he faced every day for eight years.
Sessions Will Be a Disaster If Confirmed As Attorney General
Confirmation hearings for Alabama Sen. Jeff Sessions, named by Donald Trump to be attorney general of the United States, will begin on Jan. 10, before Trump is even inaugurated. The rush and insistence on only two days of hearings reflect Republican efforts to cram the nomination through before Americans understand what is at stake.
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