Archive for the ‘Progressives’ Category

Long Read: Progressives Wont Take No For an Answer on an Elizabeth Warren Presidential Run

Sen. Elizabeth Warren has repeatedly stated she is not interested in running for president in 2016.

In a piece thats getting a lot of attention, The Huffington Posts Sam Stein dissects progressives infatuation with Sen. Elizabeth Warren, a courtship that, in recent months, has involved involved raising, and spending, hundreds of thousands dollars to convince the Massachussetts Democrat to run for the 2016 presidential nomination:

For DFA and MoveOn -- and, more recently, New Yorks Working Families Party -- the steps are clear. The groups have raised money, conducted polls, hosted launch events, opened offices, showed up at open house events, and hired staffers in key states with the express purpose of showing Warren that an infrastructure exists should she discover her presidential aspirations.

"We think the stakes are so high that we want to push to get her in this race," said T. Neil Sroka, communications director for Democracy for America.

In other words: If you build it, she will run. Only, probably not.

Warrens told several different outlets in several different ways that shes not interested no, seriously, shes not and has sent a few very strong signals that she means it. Which makes the progressives decision to keep chasing Elizabeth look less like sweet-talking a dream candidate and more like the basis of a restraining order against a stalker.

[READ: Elizabeth Warren vs. The World]

Stein writes that the arduous pursuit of the freshman, however, is causing a rift among Dems, and not just the Ready for Hillary crowd. Progressives, Stein writes, themselves are split about running after a candidate whos been unwavering so far in avoiding the 2016 presidential race, and who privately met with Clinton to talk populist shop with the presumed front-runner:

At the heart of the dispute over Warren-for-president is a larger worry over the progressive movement's lot in politics in a post-Barack Obama era. Many progressive activists see a Hillary Clinton candidacy left unchallenged as a gateway to their own marginalization, similar to what they felt during her husband's presidency.

But there is also a less overtly stated concern that putting so much hope in Warren could backfire. The struggles to influence Obama during critical moments of his presidency showed the dangers in putting one's proverbial eggs in a single basket.

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Long Read: Progressives Wont Take No For an Answer on an Elizabeth Warren Presidential Run

Nigeria Opposition Senators Warn Against Plot to Sack Electoral Chief

Senators from Nigerias main opposition party have expressed concern about reports suggesting that the government plans to force the nation's top electoral official to go on vacation, in an effort to scuttle the March 28 election.

The call by the All Progressives Congress comes amid growing tension around the electoral showdown between incumbent Goodluck Jonathan and his challenger, Muhammadu Buhari.

The contest between Jonathan, of the People's Democratic Party, and Buhari, of the All Progressives Congress, is turning into the tightest and most competitve campaign since the country returned to civilian rule in 1989.

News reports have suggested that pressure is growing on Attahiru Jega, the chairman of the Independent Electoral Commission, possibly in an effort to delay March 28 vote.

The commission already delayed the vote once last month, a decision that prompted an outcry among opposition groups.

Senator Ibrahim Musa, of the All Progressives Congress, says the opposition party will not accept any attempt by the ruling Peoples Democratic Party to undermine the electoral commission.

"Let us tell the whole world that this is the plan of the Jonathan administration that they want to remove Jega to make him not conduct the March 28 and April 11 elections, Musa said. "That is why we the APC senators felt very much concerned."

His comments follow reports that a new chairman of the electoral commissioner would be appointed to take over after Jega is sacked or forced to go on vacation.

Government officials, and the commission itself, has denied there was any campaign to remove Jega.

The rumored sack of Jega is not from the presidency but part of the propaganda by the opposition to soil the good name of the president, to discredit the government and cause trouble," Nigerian media quoted the presidential office as saying.

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Nigeria Opposition Senators Warn Against Plot to Sack Electoral Chief

Dont allow Fayose to deceive you, APC tells workers

March 9, 2015 by Kamarudeen Ogundele, Ado Ekiti 9 Comments

The All Progressives Congress in Ekiti State has warned workers in the state not to be deceived by Governor Ayodele Fayoses claims of gloomy financial position of the state.

The party said the governor had been laying claims of poor financial state to deceive and deny workers of their entitlements.

APC Publicity Secretary, Taiwo Olatubosun, in a statement on Monday said the advice became imperative because Fayose had been using over-bloated debt figures as alibi for the governments failure to pay salary and other obligations to workers.

Olatubosun said monies saved from hundreds of Ekiti workers sacked and the bond debts payment suspended for six months as well as several promotions that were reversed and cancellation of empowerment schemes should have been enough to pay workers entitlements, particularly as allocations payment was regular.

It is good that Ekiti people know the kind of governor they have. In one breath, he said he spends N1.4b to pay salary monthly. The next minute, he said it is N1.6b in the same broadcast, which gave him away, as usual, as a man playing games with the lives of Ekiti people. All these mathematical gymnastics are callous demonstration of breach of faith in government and the governed relations, he said, adding:

What is the governor doing with full monthly federal allocation to the state when the bond debt repayment has been suspended for six months? 300 members of Traffic Management Agency have been sent packing. 800 members of Volunteer Peace Corps have been relieved of their jobs.

Social Security scheme for 20,000 old people receiving N5000 every month each has been cancelled. This is apart from the over 20,000 Youth Volunteers earning N10,000 monthly who have also been disengaged by Fayose.

Many of the youths who were trained in various skills under the Fayemi administration by Odua Skills Acquisition Centre have been abandoned by Fayose while the programme has been replaced with a pedestrian concept of stomach infrastructure.

Teachers special allowances for rural postings and core subjects have been abolished while workers, including primary and secondary school teachers, who were promoted since April last year, had their promotions reversed.

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Dont allow Fayose to deceive you, APC tells workers

Sustainable Sandhills, Cumberland County Progressives holding summit to promote clean energy

Two groups are organizing a summit March 14 in Fayetteville to promote clean energy such as solar.

Sustainable Sandhills and the Cumberland County Progressives are holding the free meeting the New Century International Elementary School at 7465 Century Circle. It's from 11:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Free child care is available, and the R Burger food truck will be on site from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., according to a news release by Sustainable Sandhills.

State Rep. Rick Glazier, a Fayetteville Democrat, is scheduled to speak at the event. State Sen. Jeff Jackson, a Charlotte Democrat, will be the keynote speaker.

"Our vision for this event is to raise awareness about and engage the community in the implementation of solar and other clean energy technologies," Hanah Ehrenreich, executive director of Sustainable Sandhills said in a statement. "In support of this vision, we have scheduled panelists who will address various topics that are facing our region today."

For more information, log on at sustainablesandhills.org/clean energy summit.

- Andrew Barksdale

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Sustainable Sandhills, Cumberland County Progressives holding summit to promote clean energy

Buharis wife donates drugs, others to Maiduguri blasts victims

The wife of the All Progressives Congress presidential candidate, Maj. Gen MuhammaduBuhari(retd.),HajiyaAishaBuhari, has donatedassorted drugs and relief materials to more than a hundred victims of Saturdays bomb attacks in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital.

The wife of the Borno State Governor, Hajiya Nana Kashim Shettima,who presented the items on behalf of Mrs. Buhari, said the wife of APC presidential candidatecondoled with the people of Borno State over the multiple bomb attacks on Saturday and Sunday.

She urged women particularly to continue to pray for lasting peace not only in the state but in the country at large.

She commended the efforts of the security agencies and the youth vigilance group in their fight against insurgency in the state.

Receiving the donation, the Chief Medical Director of Borno State Hospital Management Board, Dr.Salisu Bura, said the gesture would go a long way in assisting in the the treatment of the patients.

Hedescribed the gesture as timely, saying the items received included 150 cartons of assorted drugs, 1,000 multi-vitamins, polythene mats and blankets.

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Buharis wife donates drugs, others to Maiduguri blasts victims