In the heady whirlwind of the Russian investigation, plea deals, and indictments, we’ve lost track of our longer term problem as a country. A slice of Americans are so dissatisfied with our public life that they continue to cling to the Con Man In Chief. What drives people to overlook the lying, the hate mongering, […]
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Toppling Tip Protection For Waiters: Administration Wants To Change The Rules
February 5, 2018 is the last day to comment on the Trump Administration’s proposal to cut back protections for tipped workers. The present rule allows tipped employees to keep tips rather than being forced to share them with other employees. The Trump administration proposal would allow employers to compel pooling of tips and give employers […]
Families To Pay For Business Tax Cuts
We’re promised a “beautiful” tax cut. Before Christmas. Didn’t anyone tell Congress and that guy in the White House that big changes to the tax code make health care look easy? It’s only weeks from the target date for passage of a HUGE tax overhaul and no actual bill has been introduced. So, all we […]
Tax Reform Travesty
Instead of strengthening the ability of families to provide for their own retirement, the GOP reportedly proposes to slash the amount workers can save in their 401(k) plans. And it’s not just a “cut” that’s proposed, it’s an amputation. Instead of saving, on a tax deferred basis, $18,000 a year allowed by current law, individuals […]
Gun Enabled Tragedy: Deflect and Divert
The apologists for no-gun-control were out in force following the Las Vegas massacre. It’s not the right time to talk about laws. We offer our thoughts and prayers… It’s disrespectful to the victims to reconsider our current policy. But the pitch for doing nothing about gun violence that made my blood boil was this one: everyone […]
Public Officials Block Critics On Social Media At Their Peril
Blocking Twitter followers may violate the Free Speech clause of the Constitution, if one is president of the United States. A federal district court judge found that a Facebook page maintained by an elected county official, used to communicate with constituents, acted under color of state law in operating the Facebook page. Thus when she […]
Emote, Then Vote
“Political hobbyists are ruining the country” claimed the headline of New York Times opinion piece by a political science professor. Huh? Prof. Hersh’s premise is that political “involvement” that is confined to social media and dependent on cheap gotcha thrills and instant gratification replaces the slow and less flashy process of political organizing that changes elections. With […]
California’s Vulnerable 7: Members of Congress In The Crosshairs
As I write, there are fewer than 500 days til the 2018 midterm elections. Those elections are the institutional way that we the people express ourselves about our government. We can sign petitions, write scathing Twitter posts, but most of that is just sound and fury against the power of the ballot box. Every, single […]
Dismantling Consumer Protections In The Name Of “Choice”
The balance between big money institutions and the consuming public would tip in favor of business should H.R. 10 become law. Limiting the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and eliminating checks on financial institutions capable of bringing down the economy are features of HR 10, up for consideration in the House of Representatives in early June. At […]