Rep. Keith Ellison

"It's not what you call me, but what I answer to."
--African proverb

Although a decade has passed since Sept. 11, 2001, and the world has been abuzz about Islam and what it means since then, it is clear Muslim-Americans must tell their own stories.

Many have attempted to...

For the past few months I've been writing about House Republicans' failure to make government work as part of a self-fulfilling prophecy about the role of government. Since their philosophy says that government should be small and/or government doesn't work, decisions are made to ensure it doesn't work.

The...

It's happened again: I said something that speared a GOP sacred cow and the right-wing Twitterverse is losing its cool. The first time this happened was last October after Chris Hayes interviewed me on his MSNBC show UP with Chris Hayes and the topic was jobs. [Spearing Sacred...

Saturday marked the second anniversary of the Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission Supreme Court decision. This decision allows corporations to use their general treasury funds to pay for political advertisements that expressly call for the defeat or election of a candidate.

The ruling also means corporations can donate...

Last week, Speaker Boehner described the Senate deal for extending middle class tax cuts and unemployment benefits as acceptable. This past Saturday, 89 senators -- including the vast majority of Republican senators -- voted for the bipartisan compromise to extend unemployment benefits and a middle class payroll tax cut for...

Last month, Dorothy Cooper, a 96-year-old African-American woman from Chattanooga, Tennessee, went to the ballot box to vote. Dorothy was born before women had the right to vote and when Jim Crow laws kept most African-Americans disenfranchised. Despite this, Dorothy has not missed a single election since 1960. Like many...

Earlier this week, I was on MSNBC's Up With Chris Hayes about jobs, the Occupy Wall Street movement and other issues. During the show I said I'm a fan of health and safety -- not regulations. I said that some regulations have created jobs, since the industries being watched have...

Occupy Wall Street activism is gaining strength daily, but pundits and politicians are struggling to understand the emergence of this movement. The reaction in Washington says more about us -- the political insiders -- than it does about the thousands of participants. Almost as soon as it formed, the protesters...

Times are tough. Most Americans are experiencing the greatest financial crisis of their lifetimes and many are still struggling to find work. In times like these, it is easy to despair.

Instead of supporting legislation to solve the jobs crisis, right-wing pundits and politicians are encouraging this gloom by...

With President Barack Obama preparing to address a joint session of Congress about our unemployment crisis tonight, our message to him -- as his reliable supporters and political allies -- is simple: Think big and act boldly.

Americans expect and deserve nothing less.

Millions of people are waking up every...

America has an historic opportunity. We have the chance to address our budget deficit in a manner not seen since President Bill Clinton created a budget surplus in 1999. And if we do it right, we could pave the way for a vibrant American economy based not on gimmicks like...

I wonder how long House Republicans are going to continue playing ideological games with the economy. Moody's Investors Service announced yesterday that it might begin a review to downgrade our government's credit rating. This follows a failed House vote on raising the debt ceiling with not one Republican...

Reps. Keith Ellison (DFL-Minn.) and Raul Grijalva (D-Ariz.) are the co-chairmen of the Congressional Progressive Caucus.

After months of symbolic legislation aimed at pleasing its political base, the House Republican majority Tuesday unveiled its plan for America's future. Sadly -- but not surprisingly -- it looks a lot like the...

The violence in Libya is unconscionable and the international community must unite in opposition to this brute use of force against non-violent protesters.

Yesterday's speech by embattled Moammar Gadhafi reinforces the fact that he is willing to cling to power through whatever means necessary. Calling himself a 'martyr' and...

This week, the Senate will be considering a proposal by U.S. Sen. Sam Brownback, R-Kan., to exempt automobile dealers from the oversight of a proposed consumer-protection agency. The current Senate version of financial reform would require auto dealers who offer loans to comply with new consumer-protection rules.

I am hopeful...

Today, Virginians will turn out to elect their new governor. Unfortunately, Virginians who are eligible to vote but missed the October 5th registration deadline will not be able to play a role in this important process.

It would be a different story if these Virginians lived in our states, Wisconsin...

Who is afraid of Richard Goldstone? No one should be. Not even the U.S. Congress — yet it is poised on Tuesday to condemn the United Nations Human Rights Council’s Goldstone report on violations of international law related to the Gaza war of late 2008.

...

Fifteen years of sanctions on Iran have taught us one important lesson: They have not produced the intended results. More sanctions are unlikely to produce results now. In fact, additional sanctions, while satisfying some, are more likely to produce results that we do not intend. If we impose increased sanctions,...

The current attack on the public option as "government run" health care is a completely wrong-headed argument. First off, let's remember that government in a democracy is a good thing. Besides, with a public option, government does not "run" health care--government makes sure that everyone gets health care. Being against...

So, my friends, what were we thinking? Did we really think that extending health care coverage to all Americans would be easy? Did we really believe that those who reap g'zillions of bucks from our 'health' (read: 'sick') care system were going to give it all up without a fight?...