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Progressives

"The Lesser of Two Evils" and Why Progressives Often Lose

Bob Cesca | Posted 02.02.2012 | Politics

Read More: Bill Clinton, Al Gore, Progressives, Ron Paul, George W. Bush, Mitt Romney, Two Party System, Newt Gingrich, Democratic Party, Barack Obama, Election 2000, Progressivism, Election 2012, Republican Party, Politics News
Bob Cesca

There comes a time during just about every general election cycle when a faction of progressive Democratic voters begin to harrumph and gripe about the two party system. Specifically, the following remark jumps back into popular discourse: "we're choosing between the lesser of two evils."

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A Cure for Voter Suppression and Voter Depression: Occupy the Vote

Christine Pelosi | Posted 01.28.2012 | Politics

Read More: Voter Depression, Progressives, Elections 2012, Voter Suppression, Rock the Vote, Wall Street Reform, Voting Rights, Healthcare Reform, Voting Election 2012, Gop Election 2012, Obama Elections 2012, Politics News
Christine Pelosi

What is to be done? Occupy the vote. Cure voter suppression with a commitment to participate in the civic sacrament of voting and to protect others' rights to do so.

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Obama Can Win Big With FDR Formula

Robert S. McElvaine | Posted 01.25.2012 | Politics

Read More: Big Business, 2012 Elections, Wall Street, Ronald Reagan, Big Government, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Progressives, Harry Truman, Public Opinion, 1936 Election, Democrats, Barack Obama, Politics News
Robert S. McElvaine

Always a savvy pragmatist, FDR finally realized it was impossible to compromise with those who refuse to compromise. He also saw that he needed to move left to catch up with his "followers," who were demanding more vigorous action.

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Pinker: Pollyanna of Peace?

John Feffer | Posted 01.24.2012 | World

Read More: Violence, Social Movements, Steven Pinker, Progressives, War, Peace, The Better Angels of Our Nature, World News
John Feffer

In his new book, the Harvard psychologist urges us to ignore what we read, what we see, and what our common sense is telling us. The world is not getting more violent. In fact, the world has become demonstrably less violent.

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Progressives: Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is and Stop Buying Gasoline

Paul Tullis | Posted 01.20.2012 | Politics

Read More: Environment, Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Biodiesel, Oil Companies, Electric Cars, Progressives, Politics News
Paul Tullis

There's hardly a cause that a self-respecting leftist won't sign on to. Yet every day, we pour millions of dollars into the pockets of the most egregious polluters and violators of environmental justice in the world: oil companies.

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Progressives, Obamabots and a Realistic Evaluation of the President

Bob Cesca | Posted 01.19.2012 | Politics

Read More: Conor Friedersdorf, Obamabots, President Barack Obama Achievements, President-Obama-Accomplishments, Andrew Sullivan, Glenn Greenwald, Progressives, Cenk Uygur, Progressive Movement, Obama Progressives, Megyn Kelly, Fox News Channel, Sarah Palin, Politics News
Bob Cesca

Should we undermine the most progressive-minded president in at least a generation and will his failure help or hurt the progressive cause? Will his failure pave the way for a more progressive president or a less progressive president? This is the debate on the left.

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Friday Finish: Sheriff Mirkarimi Indicted

Christopher Caen | Posted 01.13.2012 | San Francisco

Read More: Newspaper Columnists, San Francisco News, Humor, Ross Mirkarimi, Progressives, San Francisco Media, San Francisco Examiner, San Francisco Around Town, Comedy News, San Francisco Progressives, San Francisco News
Christopher Caen

Besides this being the possible end to a progressive golden boy, could this also be a Waterloo for the progressive movement in San Francisco?

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How Michael Moore Can Help Bring Real Political Change to America

Pearl Korn | Posted 01.10.2012 | Politics

Read More: Elizabeth Warren, Tim Johnson, Congress, Congressional Progressive Caucus, John Boehner, Michael Moore, Progressives, Founding Fathers, Citizens United, Public Financing, Blue Dog Democrats, Public Citizen, Politics News
Pearl Korn

Our nation deserves a better government, Michael Moore, and you are one of the few people with the ability to actually help make that happen.

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Did Independents Make a Mark in Iowa?

Jacqueline Salit | Posted 01.05.2012 | Politics

Read More: Jackie Salit, Independents, Progressives, Ron Paul, Iowa Caucuses, Independent Voters, Ron Paul 2012, Partisanship, Barack Obama, 2012 Election, Elections 2012, Iowa Caucus 2012, Politics News
Jacqueline Salit

Did independent voters make a mark in Iowa on Tuesday, as they did so conspicuously for the insurgent Barack Obama in 2008? And, do the Iowa results provide us with new insight into the aspirations of this mass of anti-partisan Americans?

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Vote Against Obama in Iowa

Cenk Uygur | Posted 12.29.2011 | Politics

Read More: Iowa Caucuses, Occupy Iowa, Barack Obama, 2012 Election, Progressives, Uncommitted, Civil Liberties, National Defense Authorization Act, Elections 2012, Iowa Caucus 2012, Politics News
Cenk Uygur

If you live in Iowa, please send a message to the president for the rest of us. We voted for change last time, apparently you didn't hear us. If you don't hear us soon, you might be the one that gets changed.

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Tyler Kingkade

Occupy Wall Street Adjusts To Outside Support

HuffingtonPost.com | Tyler Kingkade | Posted 12.21.2011 | DC

Read More: Ourdc, Demonstrations, Video, Van Jones, American Dream, Mary Kay Henry, Occupy Wall Street, Progressives, Seiu, Afl-Cio, Occupy Dc, Labor Unions, Occupy Protests, Organizing for Occupation, Richard Trumka, DC News

WASHINGTON -- During a recent demonstration in Washington, D.C., several hundred progressives gathered on K Street were protesting the same outrage bu...

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Traitors to Their Class

Peter Dreier | Posted 12.21.2011 | College

Read More: Harvard, Harvard University, Occupy Movement, Occupy Wall Street, We Are the 99 Percent, Progressives, College News
Peter Dreier

Today's Harvard students, protesting on behalf of the 99 percent, are hardly an anomaly, but are part of a proud tradition of affluent Americans -- those who inherited or worked for their fortunes -- finding common cause with the poor, the working class, and progressive movements.

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What Will the Democratic Left Do in 2012?

Lawrence Wittner | Posted 12.19.2011 | Politics

Read More: Women's Rights, Peace Movement, Elizabeth Warren, 2012 Election, Tammy Baldwin, Civil Rights, Progressives, Bernie Sanders, Alan Grayson, Democrats, Unions, Norman Solomon, Barack Obama, Republicans, Politics News
Lawrence Wittner

It seems that the Democratic party's leftwing, while giving tepid backing to Obama, will concentrate its energies on candidates and ventures that it considers more deserving of its support.

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Notes from the White House

Aaron Belkin | Posted 12.16.2011 | Politics

Read More: Obama Campaign, Barack Obama, Progressives, Politics News
Aaron Belkin

From what I could tell from the tone and content of what I heard in a recent White House visit, there was a near-consensus that the president has solved some of the nation's most critical problems.

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Channeling the Trustbuster

Mike Lux | Posted 02.06.2012 | Politics

Read More: Elections 2012, Barack Obama, Progressives, Video, Obama Reelection, Obama Kansas Speech, Obama Middle Class, Obama Teddy Roosevelt, Obama 2012, Politics News
Mike Lux

It is fashionable in political circles today to say that speeches don't matter much. While I have a high degree of skepticism about politicians, and know painfully well how often they fall short of their words, I am of a different view.

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The Bubble Genius Bob & Chez Show 12/2/11

Bob Cesca | Posted 02.01.2012 | Media

Read More: Bob Cesca, President Barack Obama, Homeland Security, Progressives, Chez Pazienza, Glenn Greenwald, Health Care Reform, Public Option, Michael Moore, Naomi Wolf, Occupy Wall Street, Progressive Movement, Barack Obama, The Bubble Genius Bob and Chez Show, Media News
Bob Cesca

This week we discus Occupy Wall Street and the Homeland Security conspiracy theory; Michael Moore and Naomi Wolf rumor-mongering; progressive outrage; Twitter fights; and other issues.

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From Occupy to Progressive Renewal: Demanding the Just Society

James Block | Posted 01.31.2012 | Politics

Read More: American Culture, American-Political-Climate, Progressive Agenda, Occupy Movement, Progressives, Politics News
James Block

Finally, serious opposition has emerged against the full-scale, right wing and corporate takeover of American society.

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Early Preview: Punk Rock Activist Collective Documentary

The Huffington Post | Posted 11.28.2011 | DC

Read More: IMF Protests, Bikini Kill, Robin Bell, District of Columbia, Riot Grrls, Progressives, Documentaries, Music, Pershing Park, Dc, Video, Punk, Fugazi, Positive Force, Film Screenings, Fire Party, Q and Not U, Dc Around Town, Events, D.C., DC News

WASHINGTON -- Get an early preview of the in-progress documentary "Positive Force: More Than A Witness," about the District of Columbia's 26-year-old ...

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The Liberal Case for Israel

Jonathan Miller | Posted 01.28.2012 | World

Read More: Israeli-Palestinian Conflict, Gay Rights, West Bank, Liberals, Abortion Rights, Israeli Occupation, Progressives, Death Penalty, Israel, Security-Fence, Torture, World News
Jonathan Miller

Feel free to criticize to Israel when it is wrong. But let's not fail to celebrate it when it is right. Because whenever liberal values flourish, they deserve our applause.

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Why Does the Democratic Party Continue to Work Against the 99%?

Pearl Korn | Posted 01.28.2012 | Politics

Read More: Dnc, Bill Clinton, Fair Elections Now Act, Debbie Halvorson, Social Security, Budget Cuts, Bob Dold, Dick Durbin, Progressives, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Alan Grayson, Citizens United, Steve Israel, Barack Obama, Bush Tax Cuts, Deficit, Tim Johnson, Super Committee, Unemployment, Rahm Emanuel, Occupy Wall Street, Chicago, Nancy Pelosi, Dccc, Gop, Medicaid, Medicare, Tea Party, Tammy Duckworth, Blue Dog Democrats, Politics News
Pearl Korn

Who are these people that we've sent to Washington to represent us? Do they live in this country? Do they see the same news reports, pass the same shuttered businesses, hear the same desperate stories from their friends and family? One has to wonder.

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Thanksgiving Politics: Top Ten Reasons to be Thankful

Bob Burnett | Posted 01.24.2012 | Politics

Read More: Elizabeth Warren, Conservatives, Reproductive Rights, Keystone XL Pipeline, Progressives, Occupy Wall Street, Thanksgiving, Tea Party, Republicans, Politics News
Bob Burnett

Despite the dreadful recession, a broken political system, and other woes, Americans have many reasons to be thankful. Here is my top ten list.

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How to Talk Turkey on Immigration

Mary Giovagnoli | Posted 01.23.2012 | Politics

Read More: Restrictionists, Undocumented Immigration, Rhetoric, State and Local Immigration Law, Progressives, Immigration Blog, Politics News
Mary Giovagnoli

Here I offer a list of tips for making the case, politely but firmly, for a rational immigration policy.

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Reasonable Complaints: An Open Letter to Jonathan Chait

Jesse Berney | Posted 01.23.2012 | Politics

Read More: Conservatives, Democrats, Liberals, Progressives, President Obama, Politics News
Jesse Berney

You've convinced me. Liberals should in fact support Obama's reelection with all the enthusiasm and effort we can muster. But (and there's always a but) we disaffected liberals do have some legitimate complaints.

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The Progressive Case for Moving Backward

Justin Zorn | Posted 01.21.2012 | Politics

Read More: Progressive Movement, #Occupywallstreet, Occupy Wall Street, Progressives, Politics, Political History, Political Science, Glass-Steagall, Politics News
Justin Zorn

Don't let the dreadlocks fool you: There's a profound conservatism about Occupy Wall Street.

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Democracy Is Not a Spectator Sport

Harvard Kennedy School Democrats | Posted 01.17.2012 | Politics

Read More: Get Out the Vote, Disaffected Democrats, Youth Vote, Democratic Party, Progressives, Grassroots Organizing, President Obama, Activism, Affordable Care Act, Occupy Wall Street, Tea Party, Politics News
Harvard Kennedy School Democrats

2012 presents young voters with the opportunity to help bring about a better political reality. Disappointment with the current state of affairs in Washington does not justify sitting on the sidelines: as has often been said, democracy is not a spectator sport.

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