Rights and Democracy
I Play an Objective Expert on TV
Scores of pundits appearing on Fox News, CNN, MSNBC, and other networks are actually paid corporate lobbyists and public relations pros
Rescuing Haiti
Let’s Rein In Tax Cheats
The government’s treatment of UBS banking whistleblower Brad Birkenfeld, who is credited with shattering Swiss bank secrecy and revealing massive tax evasion by Americans, has alarmed government accountability advocates nationwide.
Fighting Back Against a Corporate Court
The decision on Citizens United vs. Federal Elections Commission could have been relatively limited. When it first arrived at the Supreme Court, it only required the Court to decide whether feature-length films on Pay-Per-View were subject to the provisions of campaign finance regulations. But the Court, over the course of many months, expanded the scope of the case to radically transform not just politics, but the democratic system itself.
Palin’s Tea Party
The Divine Sarah has spoken. “How’s that hopey-changey thing working out for you?” That’s what she said, Sarah Palin. She said it to the Tea Party at their recent convention (or was it the Tea Party Party?) in Nashville.
Remembering Howard Zinn
Our nation lost a pioneering historian and social activist last month. Howard Zinn, who died while swimming laps at 87, revolutionized the way millions of Americans—especially young Americans— understand our shared history.
Lady Liberty
The Kids are All Right
Being a young American today can be discouraging. Things don’t look so good for us, even since Bush left office, leaving behind an awful lot of cleaning up for us “Millennials” to do.
Next, We’ll Sell Senate Seats to Exxon Mobil and AT&T
I think we should do away with the charade of elections, at least for the Senate. Let’s replace them with an auction. I mean a real auction, with an auctioneer and gavel.
New American Crisis
You might have some idea if you’ve ever found yourself facing foreclosure on your home; or worked at a company that was downsizing and laying people off; or enrolled in a college where the tuition keeps doubling; or faced salary freezes year after year, even while the cost of living rises. Most of us know how those things feel. It’s the feeling of losing control over your destiny. Get used to that feeling. It has just become what it feels like to be a citizen of the United States of America.
