Fresno Bee | Reactive violence by progressives only strengthens Trump Fresno Bee The recent congressional shooting is just another example of the disease of extremism infecting our country. It is not extremism of the left alone, as fake news experts Rep. Devin Nunes and Trump would have you believe. It is extremism alone, the idea ... |
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Reactive violence by progressives only strengthens Trump - Fresno Bee
Supporters of Planned Parenthood hold a rally as they protest the Senate Republicans healthcare bill outside the US Capitol on Tuesday. Photograph: Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images
Progressive activists hailed a huge victory and a giant step toward single-payer healthcare on Tuesday, after Senate Republicans were forced to postpone a vote on their proposed healthcare bill.
Many warned, however, that the battle was not over, promising continued attempts to pressure Republican senators over the Fourth of July recess and beyond.
Thousands of activists from groups including Our Revolution, Indivisible and Planned Parenthood had spent the past week mounting frantic efforts to derail the legislation, which the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) said would leave 22 million more people without health coverage over the next 10 years.
On Tuesday, after a number of GOP senators said they would not vote for the bill, the majority leader, Mitch McConnell, told his caucus he would delay the vote on legislation to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA) until after the coming recess.
Its beyond a victory, said RoseAnn DeMoro, executive director of National Nurses United, which encouraged members to pressure Republican senators to vote against the bill. What people are saying is, We want a society, we dont want a market to protect our health.
The bill would have been a victory for insurance companies, DeMoro said, and senators apparent distaste for the legislation was a blow for both those companies and Republicans.
I think this is a giant step toward single-payer healthcare the fact that they defeated the Republicans because ultimately, embedded in that is a defeat for free-market fundamentalism.
What people are saying is, We want a society, we dont want a market to protect our health'
Indivisible, a progressive organization established after the 2016 election to oppose Donald Trump and Republican policies, mobilized activists from more than 3,000 chapters across the country to protest the bill.
It is a huge, huge victory, said Ezra Levin, Indivisibles executive director. But its not a final victory.
Levin said Indivisibles ultimate goal was to defeat the bill outright, but the short-term plan had been to delay a vote until after the Senate recess.
House Republicans who voted for the first and second iterations of their own healthcare bill, which passed in May, faced angry receptions at town hall events during the April and May recesses.
McConnell was trying to rush it through this week because he knew Fourth of July recess was coming up, Levin said. He knew senators would be heading back to their states and hearing from their constituents, so he knew it was going to get harder if the vote was delayed.
It was not a foregone conclusion that the bill would be defeated, Levin said. The challenge now is going to keep the pressure up. We cannot forget what happened on the House side. This is a huge blow against Trumpcare but in order to actually defeat this, pressure will have to continue.
An unprecedented resistance has knocked Trumpcare off course. But we will not stop organizing, protesting, speaking out
Winnie Wong, co-founder of People for Bernie, an independent activist group with more than a million supporters, echoed Levins concern but praised collaboration between dozens of leftwing groups in the weeks leading up to the delay of the bill.
Its an effort that is being held up by almost all progressive groups, she said, whether they have anything to do with the Democratic party or not, I think there is a unification between all progressives right now around making sure Trumpcare does not go through the Senate.
All these Republican lawmakers are really feeling the heat from their constituents. They are not stupid. And in some states you see them doing the right thing.
Our Revolution, a progressive organization founded in the wake of Bernie Sanders campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination, said supporters had made almost 8,000 calls to the Senate to oppose the bill.
Todays delay is a victory for the 22 million people who are at risk of losing coverage, said Shannon Jackson, Our Revolutions executive director. As senators head back home for the Fourth of July holiday we will continue to demand they vote no on this immoral and disastrous bill.
The Working Families Party (WFP), meanwhile, organized weekly protests outside the offices of Nevada senator Dean Heller and a sit-in in the office of Susan Collins of Maine over the past few weeks. It also held a demonstration at Reagan national airport in nearby Arlington, Virginia, on Friday which targeted senators flying home for the weekend.
An unprecedented resistance movement has knocked Trumpcare off course, said WFP national director Dan Cantor. But we will not stop organizing, protesting or speaking out until this immoral proposal is crushed, discarded and buried.
Cantor predicted that Republicans attempts to repeal the ACA will only serve to strengthen the resolve of millions of Americans to fight for the guarantee of healthcare for all.
In a statement, Planned Parenthood president Cecile Richards called the Republican plan the worst bill for womens health in a generation that would devastate millions of people.
With the threat of a vote after recess week, however, Richards warned that it was now more important than ever for people to make their voices heard.
Republican leadership needs to hear over and over that the people of America will not stand to see healthcare stripped from millions, and they will not stand to see Planned Parenthoods patients lose their access to healthcare, she said.
Now, as senators go home for recess next week, its time to send the message that we need to stop this harmful bill once and for all.
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'Huge victory': progressives vow to keep fighting GOP health bill after vote delay - The Guardian
There is an undeniable overlap between the tenets of the ethical culture movement and the ideals of many progressives. Founded in the 19th century, ethical culture movements attempt to apply secular and humanist values to real-world problems using sociological approaches similar to those effectively employed by organized religions. Despite viewing itself as a religious congregation, it attempts to use logic and ethics rather than theology as the basis of its moral mission.
So what advice would ethical movements have for progressives living in President Donald Trumps America and, in particular, those in deep red Trump country? According toDr. Richard Koral, a leader of the New York Society for Ethical Culture, its a lonely life but it doesnt have to be.
Progressives living in predominantly conservative areas sometimes feel isolated and alienated from their community and yearn for the society of others who share their most basic outlook on life, even if they do not agree on every feature of a plan or program, Koral explained to Salon. People find emotional sustenance in having an opportunity to be heard and understood by other people. It gives them confirmation of their core beliefs as well as support and encouragement to take a moral stand.
His advice for these individuals? Become activists, even if the opposition around you feels overwhelming.
Ethical NYC encourages activists to get involved, even if an issue doesnt directly impact them, Koral said. Thinking compassionately about fellow community members requires us to step outside of ourselves and put time into causes for the good of our community, not necessarily just for the good of ourselves.
He also emphasized thatcompassion must include even those with whom you disagree.
Ethical NYC is a proponent of compassionate communication,' Koral explained. In the age of screaming, its important to stop and listeneven to those who do not agree with our views. We strive to remember and recognize the humanity of others who have a different perspective. In order to effectively communicate ones views, especially in a way that will spark change, it is important to be patient, empathetic, and a listener as much as a talker.
This advice may seem obvious get involved in activist movements, think beyond yourself and show empathy toward those with whom you disagree. In an era that elected a race-baiting, science-hating reality TV star as its president, however, even common sense sometimes needs a boost. Regardless of whether one agrees with the ethical culture movements broader objectives, its hard to dissent from their sense that our society needs a lot of activism and empathy at this juncture in its history.
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Feeling blue in deep-red America: Advice for progressives in Trumpland - Salon
Tax justice must be sought by all progressives, supported by global trade unions US
The Country Programme Director (West Africa), America Solidarity Center, Mr. Christopher Johnson, has declared that tax justice in Nigeria must be sought by all progressive actors working for the improvement of the lives and life chances of workers.
Besides, he pointed out that it must be supported by the global trad union movement without regard to affiliation, sector, or political leanings.
Mr. Johnson was speaking at a two-day workshop on Tax Justice/Halt Illicit Financial Flows, jointly organised by the Public Service International (PSI), International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC-Africa) in conjunction with the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).
He said: As trade unionists we understand that the activism that we undertake in the workplace is only one component of a larger and necessary fight for Labour rights and social justice.
This critically important work being carried out by the convener of this event must be supported by the global trade union movement without regard to affiliation, sector, or political leanings. Tax Justice must be sought by all progressive actors working for the improvement of the lives, and life chances of workers.
The conveners seek to transform social justice discourse into campaigns that will empower workers in an effort to halt the vicious assault on their rights to enjoy dignity and respect on the job, and to have the taxes extracted from their wages benefit their communities.
This is a campaign that workers will stand behind .This is a campaign that they can actively contribute to. This is a campaign where the elite, of all types will be held to account by the masses they claim to serve.
We live in a world that is feeling the impact of economic inequality. Workers are paying their fair share of taxes and often times are receiving very little in terms of service delivery.
The partners; PSI, NLC, ITUC-Africa and Fredrich Ebert Stiftung, believe the only way to end poverty and inequality in Africa is to stop illicit financial flows, enthrone the practice of tax justice and end corruption on the continent.
The President of NLC, Comrade Ayuba Wabba, commended the partners for supporting trade unions in Nigeria to develop, deploy and sustain their own tax justice campaign in order to contribute to national agenda to end illicit financial flows from the country and to contribute to the global demand where fair taxation reigns.
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Democracy for America has endorsed Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), its first endorsement of a House incumbent for the midterm cycle.
In a release provided first to The Hill, Democracy for America (DFA) commended Gallego for consistently standing up to President Trump since Trump's November election and praised him for leading the efforts against Trumps hateful agenda.
Gallego isnt considered vulnerable in 2018. DFA plans to make additional endorsements in support of House challengers later this week.
We need more progressives like Ruben Gallego who are not afraid of taking a stand on their principles, especially when they are doing so alone. Progressives lawmakers have a special responsibility for leadership that sometimes involves dragging their colleagues out of the establishment way of thinking that can envelope them in Washington.
The group, which was founded in 2004 by former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean (D), has already been active in House campaigns this cycle and endorsed in almost all of the special elections this year with the exception of Democrat Archie Parnell, a former Goldman Sachs senior adviser who ran in South Carolinas open seat race.
DFA backed the Democratic nominees in Georgia, Montana and Kansas, which were special elections held to replace Trump Cabinet nominees. The group also backed Democrat Jimmy Gomez to fill the House seat vacated by now-California Attorney General Xavier BecerraXavier BecerraMajor progressive group rolls out first incumbent House endorsement California restricts state travel to Texas, other states over LGBT laws Gingrich: Media was right, special elections were a referendum MORE. Gomez was the only Democrat to win one of this year's five special elections.
Democrats are looking to flip 24 seats to regain control of the House majority, a tough feat even in a cycle when the party of the president historically loses seats in midterm years. The party was dealt a blow after a disappointing loss in the closely watched Georgia race, but national Democrats believe that the House is in play next year.
DFA has also gotten involved in Senate campaigns and announced its first slate of Senate endorsements earlier this year, backing Sens. Tammy BaldwinTammy BaldwinMajor progressive group rolls out first incumbent House endorsement Dems push for more action on power grid cybersecurity Overnight Regulation: Labor groups fear rollback of Obama worker protection rule | Trump regs czar advances in Senate | New FCC enforcement chief MORE (D-Wis.), Sherrod BrownSherrod BrownMajor progressive group rolls out first incumbent House endorsement Dems push for more action on power grid cybersecurity Senate Banking panel huddles with regulators on bank relief MORE (D-Ohio), Bernie SandersBernie SandersSanders: GOP healthcare bill 'barbaric and immoral' Sanders dodges question on FBI investigation into his wife Major progressive group rolls out first incumbent House endorsement MORE (I-Vt.) and Elizabeth WarrenElizabeth WarrenSenate Dems step up protests ahead of ObamaCare repeal vote Major progressive group rolls out first incumbent House endorsement Speaker Ryan, the fate of our policy toward Russia rests in your hands MORE (D-Mass.).
Baldwin and Brown face tough reelection races in states that Trump carried in 2016. Sanders and Warren are expected to easily win new six-year terms next year.
Democrats have a much tougher Senate map in 2018. They need to defend 25 seats, while Republicans need to only protect eight seats.
Ten of the seats Democrats must defend are in states carried by Trump. Trump carried Ohio by 8 points and delivered an even bigger surprise by winning Wisconsin, which hadnt gone red since the 1984 election.
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Major progressive group rolls out first incumbent House endorsement - The Hill