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Climate Change, Economy, Environment, Fracking, Green Party, International, Labor, National Politics, New York January 20, 2014

Secretive trade agreement would undermine democracy

Post-Standard by Ursula Rozum January 20, 2014 Any speck of democracy and sovereignty we the people have left in this country is under attack. The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) is a new international trade pact crafted by multinational corporations and currently being negotiated in secret by the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) along with 11 other foreign governments. Rep. Alan Grayson (D-Fla.) describes the agreement as “an attack on democratic governance” and “a punch in the face to the middle class of America.” The TPP began as trade talks among a few Pacific Rim countries, but has been expanded…

Democracy, National Politics, Race January 20, 2014

The Martin Luther King, Jr. You May Not Know

More than a Civil Rights Leader Dissident Voice by Brian J. Trautman January 20th, 2014 Most Americans know Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. as one of the twentieth century’s most revered voices for racial equality, the charismatic leader of the American Civil Rights movement, who gave the famous “I Have A Dream“ speech. Perhaps they even know a thing or two about his role in the Montgomery Bus Boycott and the Birmingham Campaign. This knowledge by and large derives from compulsory education and mainstream media. It is significantly less likely, however, that very many Americans know much at all,…

Labor, National Politics, occupy January 18, 2014

Mayday 2014: 5/1 Fight for 15

by John Halle January 18, 2014 A short piece provoked by the fun time I had hanging out with/moderating the Trots at the Brecht Forum on Thursday. The suggestion for making the $15 an hour minimum wage a central demand of a new movement was from Socialist Alternative’s Alan Akrivos. Comments on the piece and/or how to move forward on the idea appreciated. Most on the left are at least dimly aware that Labor Day was originally celebrated on May 1 to commemorate the framing and execution of the Haymarket strikers and that Mayday, at its peak, attracted tens of…

Health Care Reform, Medicine, Obamacare, on Obama, Single Payer November 19, 2013

Obamacare and Other Republican Ideas

Bipartisanship today means Democrats enacting GOP agenda by Scott McLarty Common Dreams November 19, 2013 The ACA debate was rigged from the beginning by insurance and other corporate lobbies whose profits and high overhead, burdening the US with the highest medical costs of any nation on earth, would be maintained. (Image: Common Dreams) A column by Hugh Hewitt in the Washington Examiner earlier this month reveals a likely Republican talking point as the next presidential election approaches: “Hillary is Obamacare’s grandmother. Put another way: Obamacare is Hillary’s grandchild.” Mr. Hewitt’s goal, of course, is to pin the disastrous rollout of…

Democracy, Green Party, New York, State Politics, Third Party November 17, 2013

From a Green perspective, another disappointing election

by Ursula Rozum syracuse.com November 17, 2013 Ursula Rozum is a guest columnist who writes monthly for syracuse.com and The Post-Standard. She ran for Congress on the Green Party line in 2012, is an officer in the local Green Party organization and managed Howie Hawkins’ campaign for Syracuse Common Council this year. Another election has gone by and little has changed. The local power structure kept its people in office. The Democrats still hold every elected office in the city and the problems that have grown worse under their one-party rule remain the same – high poverty, high unemployment, low…