Opioid protest at Harvard art museum
ctivists said that this was the fourth protest of its kind targeting an art gallery or school named after the Sackler family. The Sacklers have their names on spaces at the Louvre, the Royal...
ctivists said that this was the fourth protest of its kind targeting an art gallery or school named after the Sackler family. The Sacklers have their names on spaces at the Louvre, the Royal Academy of Arts, the Smithsonian, and the Guggenheim in New York, among others. The Center for Popular Democracy, the nonprofit that supports the Opioid Network, also participated in Goldin’s protest at the Smithsonian Institution’s Arthur M. Sackler Gallery in April.
Read the full article here.
Epic Charter School Fail Exposed
Capital & Main - October 2, 2014, by David Cohen - A $300,000 plane; $861,000 to pay off personal debts and keep open a struggling restaurant. A down payment on a house and an office flush...
Capital & Main - October 2, 2014, by David Cohen - A $300,000 plane; $861,000 to pay off personal debts and keep open a struggling restaurant. A down payment on a house and an office flush with flat-screen televisions, executive bathrooms and granite counter tops. This isn’t a list of expenditures from Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous, this represents a small slice of the more than $30 million of taxpayer funds that have been wasted through fraud and abuse in Pennsylvania’s charter schools since they first opened in 1997.
A new report from the Center for Popular Democracy, Integrity in Education, and Action United is blowing the lid off the lack of public oversight at Pennsylvania’s 186 charter schools.
Inadequate audit techniques, insufficient oversight staff and a lack of basic transparency have created a charter system that is ripe for abuse in the Keystone State. But there is hope. The report provides a detailed roadmap for Pennsylvania to create an effective oversight structure and provide meaningful protections that can curtail endemic fraud and waste.
The report calls for an immediate moratorium on new charters until the inadequate oversight system can be replaced with rigorous and transparent oversight. That’s the right first step.
According to the authors, charter school enrollment in the state has doubled three times since 2000 and Pennsylvania’s students, their families and taxpayers cannot afford to lose another $30 million. Pennsylvania’s students and taxpayers deserve better.
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How Homeowners Made May a Month You Won't Forget
The Huffington Post - May 21, 2013, by Tracy Van Slyke - On Monday, dozens of homeowners and community leaders were arrested outside the Department of Justice in protest of Attorney General Eric...
The Huffington Post - May 21, 2013, by Tracy Van Slyke - On Monday, dozens of homeowners and community leaders were arrested outside the Department of Justice in protest of Attorney General Eric Holder's lack of will to hold the big banks' accountable for their abusive practices that led to the economic crash and continues to damage millions of homeowners and our economy today.
Members of the Home Defender's League and Occupy Our Homes climbed the barriers and locked arms, set up foreclosure tents, blocked all entrances to the building and took over the intersections surround the Department of Justice. Four police officers had to carry one protestor to a paddy wagon (See the pictures from the action here.) Upon their arrest, instead of presenting their own identification, homeowners presented police with their new ID's -- claiming to be Jon Stumpf of Wells Fargo or Brian Moynihan of Bank of America -- with the message, "arrest the real criminals."
The action is not only happening in Washington, D.C. On Sunday, the Minnesota legislature passed the "Homeowner Bill of Rights" which among many amazing things, bans "dual tracking" preventing servicers from foreclosing without a clear yes or no on loan modification and allows homeowners to take a bank to court to stop foreclosure if the bank fails to comply with any aspect of the law. The campaign was led by an amazing collaboration of Minnesota grassroots organizations.
This flurry of activity in the last few days comes on the heels of other major housing justice moments in May -- making it one of the important months in the fight for our economic future that has come in a long time.
It has been a full five years since banks crashed the economy and more than a year since President Obama announced a special task force to investigate big bank crimes. Ever since, homeowners and community members have been fighting for fair and deserved relief and justice.
On May 1, President Obama announced the nomination of Rep. Mel Watt (D-NC) to become the permanent director of the Federal Housing Finance Administration. This came after a 16-month grassroots campaign led by the New Bottom Line for President Obama to "Dump (Ed) DeMarco" the acting Director of FHFA, which oversees Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. With DeMarco in charge to the two agencies that control more than half the mortgage market, his obstinante and destructive opposition to principal reduction -- resetting mortgages to fair market value -- is blocking the needed policy to support homeowners, benefit taxpayers and boost the entire economy.
It's clear that a new direction is needed at FHFA-one that supports homeowners now, but also resuscitates the long-term housing market and boosts our economy.The Senate must now approve Watt-and this will clearly be a fight unto itself. But the nomination was the first major milestone in a long-waged campaign that often felt endless with no change in sight. It proved that determination, grit, creativity and grassroots organizing can actually make a difference for real people.
And this is critical, because just last week, the new report, "Wasted Wealth: How the Wall Street Crash Continues to Stall Economic Recovery and Deepen Racial Inequity in America," details how the foreclosure crisis is still devastating our communities and our economy to this day. According to the report, big banks' unscrupulous lending practices caused a mass loss of homeownership and wealth in communities across the country. In 2012, the foreclosure crisis continued to destroy wealth on a large scale with $192.6 billion in wealth lost across the U.S. That's right-$192.6 BILLION. And with more than 13 million homes still underwater and at risk of foreclosure, Americans stand to lose nearly $221 billion in additional wealth from these mortgages alone.
But it was communities of color, who were specifically targeted with sub-prime and high-risk loans, that have fared the worst. The report shows how zip codes with majority people of color populations saw 16 foreclosures per thousand households with an average of $2,200 in lost wealth per household. Wasted Wealth also documents how a strategy of principal reduction would save money for homeowners, boost the economy to the tune of $101.7 billion, and create 1.5 million jobs.
Which leads us to the civil disobedience on Monday. Homeowners like Giselle Mata of Whittier, CA (watch her video here) were arrested because they are fighting for their homes, their livelihood, their children, and our communities. They did it because there are too many people unfairly suffering, while the big banks and their top officials continue to profit. And nothing, I repeat, nothing has been done to hold these big banksters accountable. The Department of Justice has been neglectful, and some would allege, deliberately blocking any investigation into big banks.
In fact Holder's remarks back in March, sum up the the entire state of neglect at the Justice Department.
I am concerned that the size of some of these institutions becomes so large that it does become difficult for us to prosecute them when we are hit with indications that if you do prosecute, if you do bring a criminal charge, it will have a negative impact on the national economy, perhaps even the world economy. And I think that is a function of the fact that some of these institutions have become too large.
(Of course, he backed down from this statement, just a few days ago, but the evidence of inactivity is clear. )
The "Bring Justice to Justice" action is the climax to years of organizing and calling on the White House and the Department of Justice to investigate big banks and provide restitution for homeowners. Homeowners will be staying in jail for days to come and they don't intend to back down from this fight.
May exemplifies the highs and lows of what we've been fighting for. This work is not just about righting past wrongs, it's also about our future. It's about the future of our retirement, our kids' lives, the kind of communities we want to live in and about our country's economic future. We need principal reduction to support homeowners now and boost our economy for everyone. We need the big banks and bankers fully investigated because we can't risk another economic catastrophe that our country went through in the last few years.
We have shown what we are willing to do for our country. Now it's time for our elected officials to do the same.
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Listen to Death Cab for Cutie’s New Anti-Trump Song “Million Dollar Loan”
Listen to Death Cab for Cutie’s New Anti-Trump Song “Million Dollar Loan”
Last year, Death Cab for Cutie released the album Kintsugi. Today, the band have put out a new song called “Million Dollar Loan,” along with its video, directed by Simian Design. The song targets...
Last year, Death Cab for Cutie released the album Kintsugi. Today, the band have put out a new song called “Million Dollar Loan,” along with its video, directed by Simian Design. The song targets Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, who famously said his father gave him $1 million to start his business dealings. It’s part of a new program called 30 Days, 30 Songs, created by writer Dave Eggers. Starting today until Election Day (Tuesday, November 8), there will be new songs each day from artists including My Morning Jacket’s Jim James, Aimee Mann, Thao Nguyen (of Thao & the Get Down Stay Down), and clipping. In addition, 30 Days will include an unreleased R.E.M. live song.
Below, listen to “Million Dollar Loan,” read Ben Gibbard’s statement on the track, and see the 30 Days, 30 Songs single artwork (featuring an eagle with Trump’s hair). Read 30 Days, 30 Songs’ mission statement here. All of 30 Days’ proceeds will go to the Center for Popular Democracy and their efforts toward Universal Voter Registration for all Americans.
Lyrically, “Million Dollar Loan” deals with a particularly tone deaf moment in Donald Trump’s ascent to the Republican nomination. While campaigning in New Hampshire last year, he attempted to cast himself as a self-made man by claiming he built his fortune with just a “small loan of a million dollars” from his father. Not only has this statement been proven to be wildly untrue, he was so flippant about it. It truly disgusted me. Donald Trump has repeatedly demonstrated that he is unworthy of the honor and responsibility of being President of the United States of America, and in no way, shape or form represents what this country truly stands for. He is beneath us.
By Matthew Strauss
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Statement: NYPD IG Report is Small Victory for Communities of Color; Much More is Needed for Real Progress
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact:
Marbre Stahly-Butts, Tel: 909 289 1500;
Email:MStahly-Butts@populardemocracy.org
NYPD IG Report is Small Victory for Communities of Color; Much More is Needed for Real Progress
Brooklyn, NY 01.12.2015 – A new report by the New York Police Department’s Inspector General found patterns of misconduct, preference for excessive force over communication, and systemic inconsistencies in the use of force. In response, Marbre Stahly-Butts, Soros Justice Fellow at the Center for Popular Democracy (CPD) issued the following statement:
“Communities United for Police Reform, of which we are a member, worked tirelessly to pass legislation through City Council to ensure the creation of the Inspector General’s Office and we welcome the release of the Office’s first report. The report cements what many New Yorkers already knew: The culture of excessive and abusive policing is widespread, and we need binding, systematic changes before communities of color and immigrants can feel safe and protected by the NYPD.
“The NYPD must come to terms with the reality that its use of force practices are disproportionately visited on communities of color, who have been tormented by excessive police practices for too long. We hope this realization will inspire NYPD leaders to engage in a process of community based reform and transformation, so that together we can slowly start to rebuild trust between communities and law enforcement and end militarized and abusive policing practices.
“In cities across the country, millions of dollars are being spent on aggressive and discriminatory policing policies that target black, brown and immigrant communities as well as other vulnerable populations. These policies lead to mass incarceration, deportation, unfair harassment and dehumanization. Law enforcement spending often outpaces investment in health, education, housing and other programs. So while we welcome the release of this report, we recognize the path to justice and community driven policing for our communities is long. But key to meaningful reform are reports such as this, which shine a light on discriminatory and abusive practices and force us to come to terms with the reality of policing in this city and country. As our work begins to bear fruit, CPD and our partners across the country are monitoring how police departments and local governments respond. Our organizing is intensifying, and we will not stop until our communities are safe from state-sanctioned violence and feel that justice has been served.”
In New York City, CPD has worked as part of Communities United for Police Reform on its groundbreaking organizing to end unfair and ineffective policing practices. That work was instrumental in passing the Community Safety Act, which mandated the appointment of an Inspector General at the NYPD for the first time.
Businesses Support Raising The Minimum Wage. Why Doesn’t The Business Lobby?
Businesses Support Raising The Minimum Wage. Why Doesn’t The Business Lobby?
Raising the minimum wage. More paid sick leave and family leave. More stable scheduling for workers. When a major Republican-friendly polling shop surveyed CEOs across the country about these...
Raising the minimum wage. More paid sick leave and family leave. More stable scheduling for workers. When a major Republican-friendly polling shop surveyed CEOs across the country about these typically left-leaning policies, one thing was made clear: they overwhelmingly support them.
So when it came to presenting the results to the Council of State Chambers of Commerce, which commissioned the research, the pollsters had a challenge on their hands — how to reconcile the widespread opposition to these policies by many business lobby groups with their popularity among the people actually running businesses.
In a recorded webinar, David Merritt, the managing director of polling firm LuntzGlobal, described the “empathy” CEOs feel for workers along with their support for labor-friendly policies. “If you ask about them in isolation, of course we want to take care of people who are caring for a loved one. Of course we want to give folks more benefits or more leave or more income.”
In the presentation, obtained by liberal advocacy group the Center for Media and Democracy, Merritt told the business lobbyists that executives expressed widespread support for a number of policies that are vehemently opposed by conservative politicians.
Based on their survey of 1,000 executives, LuntzGlobal found 80% supported raising their state minimum wage, 82% supported increasing paid parental leave requirements and 73% supported increasing paid sick leave. The Washington Post first reported details of the presentation.
“If you’re fighting against a minimum wage increase, you’re fighting an uphill battle,” Merritt said in the presentation. “Because most Americans, even most Republicans, support raising a minimum wage.”
He went on to coach participants on how to oppose those policies anyhow.
“A lot of you guys have minimum wage battles at the state level. If you are fighting those fights, the best way to fight it is not to talk about the minimum wage,” he said. “If you can, turn it into a federal issue and talk about the Earned Income Tax Credit.”
Joe Crosby, Director of the Council of State Chambers, which commissioned the research, said in a statement that the survey was intended “to benchmark trends on current political issues” and “it primarily covered mid-sized and larger companies, not the smaller businesses that are most affected by wage and leave mandates.”
LuntzGlobal, founded by prominent Republican pollster and consultant Frank Luntz, was unable to comment, per the terms of its contract wit the Council of State Chambers, Crosby said.
“We have known for years”
Advocates for these worker-friendly policies said the findings are proof their cause has many allies in the business community — even if those allies aren’t often the most outspoken voices representing business interests in Washington and state houses.
“We have known for years what this research confirms: that an overwhelming share of business leaders support paid sick days, paid leave and other family friendly policies,” said Debra L. Ness, president of the National Partnership for Women & Families, a group that advocates for paid leave.
At one point in the call, Merritt held up language from the group Ness belongs to (below) as polling higher among executives than any other.
“I wouldn’t have changed anything about this statement,” Merritt said in the presentation. “This was the clear winner — from the National Partnership for Women and Families… Perfect, perfect language.”
Business lobby groups like the various state-level chambers of commerce are “not currently representing the views of their members — and doing that at the expense of single moms and hard-working parents,” said Elianne Farhat, who runs the Fair Workweek Initiative, a campaign of the Center For Popular Democracy, a liberal advocacy group. “In every place fair workweek laws are moving, the chambers of commerce have been the loudest voices of opposition.”
But Crosby, the Director of the Council of State Chambers, said the real question at issue is whether labor regulations should be forced onto all businesses by law, not whether businesses support the goal of better pay and working conditions. “Of course business owners support raising wages and benefits for their employees; those are goals they work for every day,” he wrote in an email to BuzzFeed News. “But one-size-fits-all government mandates simply don’t work.”
A spokesperson for the National Restaurant Association, the industry’s largest trade group and one of the loudest voices opposing minimum wake hikes, said its members are more sensitive to labor costs than those in other industries. “The Council of State Chambers represents a diverse range of businesses, including tech and manufacturing companies, that could adapt to increased labor costs more easily” than restaurant and fast food owners, said NRA spokesperson Christin Fernandez.
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the federal body representing the country’s business community, echoed concerns that pro-labor policies would negatively affect employers.
“The U.S. Chamber, based on input from our members, continues to believe that imposing higher labor costs on employers, especially small businesses, will force them to cut back elsewhere, and will ultimately price low and un-skilled workers out of entry level job opportunities,” said Randy Johnson, senior vice president of Labor, Immigration, and Employee Benefits for the Chamber, in a statement.
Asked about the chamber’s position on paid family and sick leave, as well as predictive scheduling, all of which polled well in the survey, spokeswoman Blair Holmes wrote that the Chamber is “careful to be responsive and in synch” with the business community it represents.
“The only point we will make is to say we have not lobbied on these issues in any of the states,” she said, adding that the federal group “is not in a position to comment on the positions these state chambers may have taken” with respect to raising the minimum wage or paid leave and “will not comment on state or local versions of predictive scheduling legislation.”
On its website, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce lists among its 2016 priorities: “Oppose efforts to increase the minimum wage and to index the minimum wage to inflation,” and “Oppose attempts to make FMLA [Family and Medical Leave Act] leave paid or to mandate paid sick leave.”
By Cora Lewis
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Fed's Kashkari says low inflation affords 'luxury' of low rates
MINNEAPOLIS (Reuters) - Low inflation allows the Federal Reserve to keep U.S. interest rates lower for longer in order to boost the economy and jobs, a top Federal Reserve official said on...
MINNEAPOLIS (Reuters) - Low inflation allows the Federal Reserve to keep U.S. interest rates lower for longer in order to boost the economy and jobs, a top Federal Reserve official said on Wednesday.
"If we can keep creating jobs while inflation is in check, let's do that," Minneapolis Fed President Neel Kashkari said at a meeting with community activists and members of the black community in Minneapolis who were airing their concerns about low pay and high unemployment. "We can do our best to make the job market as strong as possible."
By KRITOFFER TIGUE, ANN SAPHIR, & DIANE CRAFT
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The Criminalized Majority
“Everyone should go to jail, say, once every ten years,” opined novelist and poet Jesse Ball in a recent LA Times article. It may seem like Swiftian satire, but Ball’s proposal is earnest....
“Everyone should go to jail, say, once every ten years,” opined novelist and poet Jesse Ball in a recent LA Times article. It may seem like Swiftian satire, but Ball’s proposal is earnest. Addressed “to a nation of jailers,” he argues that a brief but regular stint in jail would serve as the necessary correction to make such institutions more livable–and perhaps less common. “Just think,” he writes, “if everyone in the United States were to become, within a 10-year period, familiar with what it is like to be incarcerated, is there any question that the quality of our prisons would improve?”
Read the full article here.
Dreamers exigen “Dream Act” y replican a Kelly: “no somos flojos”
Dreamers exigen “Dream Act” y replican a Kelly: “no somos flojos”
En el marco de un día de acción nacional a favor del Dream Act, más de 500 activistas exigieron este miércoles que el Congreso apruebe la medida, y condenaron al jefe de Gabinete de la Casa...
En el marco de un día de acción nacional a favor del Dream Act, más de 500 activistas exigieron este miércoles que el Congreso apruebe la medida, y condenaron al jefe de Gabinete de la Casa Blanca, John Kelly, por sugerir que algunos jóvenes indocumentados no se apuntaron al “DACA” de 2012 por “flojos”.
Lea el artículo completo aquí.
Health industry giants get tax windfall. But it's unclear how it will be used.*
Health industry giants get tax windfall. But it's unclear how it will be used.*
The man with ALS, or Lou Gehrig's disease, who caught national attention for confronting Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) last year about the Republican tax bill, has launched a new “Be a Hero” campaign...
The man with ALS, or Lou Gehrig's disease, who caught national attention for confronting Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) last year about the Republican tax bill, has launched a new “Be a Hero” campaign targeting Republicans. In a new minute-long TV and online ad running ahead of an April 24 election in Arizona’s 8th congressional district, Ady Barkan slams Republicans for pushing tax legislation that could affect his health care if lower tax revenue leads to eventual federal benefit cuts.
Read the full article here.
8 days ago
8 days ago