Noted Noted
Highlights from the Voting Rights Watch 2012 blog, from Brentin Mock, Aura Bogado and Maegan E. Ortiz
Sep 26, 2012 / Various Contributors
The Battle for Congress The Battle for Congress
Even if Obama wins, he won’t be able to accomplish much if progressives don’t do well in legislative races. Here are ten worthy contenders.
Sep 26, 2012 / Feature / John Nichols
Has Florida Created a Trap at the Polls for Ex-Felons? Has Florida Created a Trap at the Polls for Ex-Felons?
Many of Florida’s ex-felons are receiving conflicting information on their voting rights. That could spell disaster in November.
Sep 26, 2012 / Feature / Brentin Mock
The Blue-State Strategy for Progressive Renewal The Blue-State Strategy for Progressive Renewal
Democrats have a rich opportunity to push electoral reform at the state level.
Sep 26, 2012 / Feature / Steven Hill
Dave Zirin: The NFL Ref Lockout Highlights Class Problem in the US Dave Zirin: The NFL Ref Lockout Highlights Class Problem in the US
Commissioner Roger Goodell echoes the anti-labor rhetoric of Mitt Romney and Scott Walker.
Sep 26, 2012 / Press Room
GOP Unlikely to Help Akin—Will It Matter? GOP Unlikely to Help Akin—Will It Matter?
The national party isn’t likely to come back, leaving Akin with a coalition of hard-right funders.
Sep 26, 2012 / George Zornick
Romney on Teachers and Their Unions: Silence Them! Romney on Teachers and Their Unions: Silence Them!
The man who owes his GOP nomination to billionaires and Super PACs wants to prevent teachers from pooling small donations to have a voice in politics.
Sep 26, 2012 / John Nichols
Mitt Romney Embraces Campaign Finance Reform Mitt Romney Embraces Campaign Finance Reform
Today at the Education Nation forum, Mitt Romney finally admitted that money distorts our democracy by improperly influencing politicians, and causing them to ignore their constituents in favor of powerful donors. He even called for action to end this problem, saying it’s “the wrong way for us to go.” Alas, the “powerful donors” that distressed Romney were teachers. His remarks, via Raw Story: “We simply can’t have a setup where the teachers unions can contribute tens of millions of dollars to the campaigns of politicians and then those politicians, when elected, stand across from them at the bargaining table, supposedly to represent the interests of the kids. I think it’s a mistake. I think we’ve got to get the money out of the teachers unions going into campaigns. It’s the wrong way for us to go. We’ve got to separate that.” By saying massive donations can skew political priorities, and saying “we’ve got to get the money out,” Romney is essentially endorsing the intellectual framework of opposition to Citizens United, which allowed corporations to spend unlimited amounts influencing elections. Strange, because he has called Citizens United the “correct decision,” and even thinks corporations should be able to write unlimited checks to his campaign instead of bothering with outside groups. Apparently, it’s just the pernicious influence of educators Romney is worried about—not corporations. (Note that the AFT and NEA engage in relatively paltry outside spending, and also disclose their donors). For more on Mitt Romney’s disingenuity, read Ben Adler’s check on the candidate’s miserly donations to charity.
Sep 25, 2012 / George Zornick
Boykinism is the New McCarthyism Boykinism is the New McCarthyism
Despite the White House’s statements against Islamophobia, their failure to fire a hatemongering lieutenant tells a different story.
Sep 25, 2012 / Andrew J. Bacevich
Where Crazy Conservative Memes Are Invented Where Crazy Conservative Memes Are Invented
The parallel universe of right-wing conspiracy e-mail smears.
Sep 25, 2012 / Ben Adler