What started as an environmental teach-in held in 1970 and aimed only at the United States has become a global observance. Earth Day is now celebrated in more than 175 nations and too many communities to count. April 22 of each year is now a day for each of us to pause and consider how [...]

President Obama weighed into the deficit discussion with his own plan, announced mid-day April 13. His plan would cut $4 trillion in 12 years. He drew a stark contrast between his approach and that proposed for the Republicans by Congressman Paul Ryan of Wisconsin. Greg Sergent (Plum Line blog in The Washington Post) called it [...]

Now that the dust has cleared, the details have been released, and the experts have had a chance to weigh in on what really happened in the much-publicized budget deal, it seems Democrats did not do as badly as is generally perceived. In fact, in one evaluation (see below) the actual cuts are only $14.7 [...]

Continuing its campaign to fight illegal immigration, the Escondido City Council voted 4 to 1 March 23 to require contractors for the city to use the federal E-Verify program to check eligibility of employees. The resolution also urges other Escondido businesses to use the program, but does not require it. The only opposing vote was [...]

The Senate must be the firewall that protects the world’s most vulnerable. Tell your Senators to vote “NO” on (H.R. 1) – Tell them to vote NO on harsh and unprecedented cuts that will deny health care, education, food, housing, and jobs to millions of the poorest and most vulnerable Americans, while at the same [...]

All troops needed on the ground in the fight for the soul of the Democratic Party. At the core of what is going on politically in Wisconsin, and increasingly in our nation’s capitol and though out our country, the struggle for the soul of the Democratic Party.  Democrats cannot afford to stand by passively and [...]

Madison, the capital of Wisconsin, has been sounding a lot like Cairo lately, as state workers have demonstrated in unprecedented numbers to preserve their rights. A Republican governor has proposed changing state law to reduce state worker pensions and benefits, and increase their required contributions. He says he’s trying to fix a budget deficit. But [...]

“We in America do not have government by the majority. We have government by the majority who participate.” — Thomas Jefferson Are you one of those who brush off the weekly “calls to action” as inconsequential, as useless? Think again. “Perceptions of Citizen Advocacy on Capitol Hill,” a report based on an online survey of [...]