Just as states with progressive lawmakers and activists have themselves initiated innovative programs over a wide range of issues, state-based progressive blogs have helped provide us with a point of view, inside information and often an edgy voice that we just don't get from the traditional media. This week in progressive state blogs is designed specifically to focus attention on the writing and analysis of people focused on their home turf. Let me know via comments or Kosmail if you have a favorite state- or city-based blog you think I should know about.
Inclusion of a diary does not necessarily indicate my agreement or endorsement of its contents.
At Montana Cowgirl, Cowgirl writes—Secessionist Group Gathering MT Officials Dec. 16:
A group called “Defend Rural America” (Trademarked!) is working to get rural counties to secede from states to form their own new states. They’ve organized a meeting of right-wing county officials in Montana this month to “discuss implementation of these ideas” here in Montana.
Defend Rural America has convened and worked with California secessionists to establish the future state of Jefferson. (You can watch a video of the California secessionists gathering here.) The LA Times has an interesting story on Jefferson here. [...]
Besides secession, this bunch has some other crackpot beliefs. They say the Endangered Species Act “is used to destroy more of our rights, lands, and resources that any weapons of mass destruction an external enemy could deliver.” Yes, more than a barrage of nuclear bombs, apparently.
They offer–for a small price–valuable pamphlets that explain “the war that is taking place for control of the world between representative governments, on the one hand, and a handful of international banking families on the other.” The group also advises states to “re-established their sovereignty and liberate themselves from ‘the bondage of a (federal) territorial system.’”
At
Calitics,
Brian Leubitz writes—
Kashkari and Donnelly give very different visions for [the California Republican Party]:
With about one year left until the 2014 election, the GOP field for the second spot in the top-2 governor's election seems to be a very intriguing trio.
Abel Maldonado and Tim Donnelly have more or less made their candidacies official. On the other hand, former Goldman Sachs (and TARP administrator) Neil Kashkari has been less forthcoming on official news. However, he clearly seems to be building a campaign, and a non-traditional GOP campaign at that. He's clearly trying to come at it from the middle, but Joe Garofoli of the SF Chronicle looks at some who wonder at how that will fare in the CRP. [...]
For years, the media has been trying to shoehorn some level of moderation in the CRP. And for a while, maybe there was some there. Gov Schwarzenegger wasn't exactly moderate, but nor was he what you would call right-wing these days. And Duf Sundheim, a former chair of the party, worked to create a somewhat inclusive party. But in the end, if you look around at today's CRP, you don't find a lot of inclusion there. You find Tim Donnelly.
While the media likes to think that because we have a pretty progressive majority in the Legislature and our representatives, that the CRP must reflect that as well. They would be wrong. The California GOP is just as hard-core and full of true believers as any, right up there with Dixie. It turns out that the fog of progressivism doesn't really roll all the way into every California community.
At
Blog for Arizona,
Pamela Powers Hannley writes—
Arizona Democratic Party Shows Its Progressive Side at State Committee Meeting:
Progressive voices were heard loud and clear at Saturday’s Arizona Democratic Party (ADP) State Committee Meeting in Maricopa, Arizona.
Unlike some past ADP meetings where progressives were ignored or where progressive resolutions were tabled and not heard by the full ADP membership, the Maricopa meeting was dominated by progressives.
During the morning caucus meetings, approximately 80 members of the progressive caucus [...] met in the booming high school cafeteria to hear about legalization of marijuana, the plight of Dreamers, and a host of progressive resolutions.
You will find more excerpts from state progressive blogs below the orange gerrymander.
At Left in Alabama, countrycat writes—Medicaid Rally In Birmingham On Saturday:
Alabama citizens are pushing back on Gov. Robert Bentley's inexplicable refusal to expand Medicaid & forgo the tens of thousands of new jobs expansion would create. On Saturday, December 7 rally in Birmingham will publicize the effort. Organizers hope that a large show of support will encourage the Governor to change his mind. It's the first of several marches and rallies planned across the state.Alabama Medicaid
The event titled "Shame On You, Governor Bentley!" will be held at 2pm in Kelly Ingram Park. It's sponsored by a coalition that includes the Progressive Democrats of Alabama, Birmingham Chapter of the NAACP, and Greater Birmingham Ministries. The organizers promise you'll be finished in time to get home and watch the SEC championship game. [...]
For low-income Alabama residents, Bentley's decision is a disaster. Many of these people work low wage jobs - and work hard. Even so, they survive on incomes at or below the federal poverty line and don't make enough to purchase decent health insurance. Bentley's refusal to expand Medicaid means that they don't qualify for tax credit to help them purchase affordable coverage through the marketplace.
At
ColoradoPols,
Jason Salzman writes—
Coffman backpedaling again:
I reported last week that Rep. Mike Coffman said on a radio show that America is in a "Constitutional crisis," because of Obama's "abusive interpretation of the Constitution."
Sounds bad, even in the paranoid and crisis-filled world you find on conservative talk radio. [...]
Coffman is becoming known for walking back statements made in front of friendly microphones, most memorably his repeated sort-of apology for his assertion that Obama isn't an American "in his heart" and his statement that he didn't know whether "Obama was born in the United States of America." (He later said his birther moment, was overblown.)
At
Nevada Progressive,
atdnext writes—
Take This Seriously:
Just when we thought we could enjoy the Thanksgiving Holiday last week, the Nevada G-O-TEA Circus of Batsh*t Crazy had to interrupt our plans. Oh, yes. That's right. They went there... Again!
So what happened this time? Oh, Assembly Member Michelle Fiore (R-Las Vegas) just decided to "spice up" a local "talk radio" show with veiled threats of violence. After all, she just loves her weapons... And her NRA Seal of Approval.
So what exactly happened? Assembly Member Fiore was a guest on a KNXT show on Tuesday. So were Culinary 226's Yvanna Cancela and ProgressNow's Annette Magnus. When Fiore confronted Cancela over Culinary's aggressive organizing, she dropped this verbal bomb.
"The behavior that you did in front of the Cosmo would get you a bullet in your head in Brooklyn, because that is not the behavior that we want here in Nevada."
While many (even some on the left) have disagreed with Culinary's more controversial battle plans in its ongoing war against anti-union casinos, no one can say Culinary organizers aren't protected by the First Amendment. And no one can say they deserve "Second Amendment Remedies" for exercising their First Amendment rights.
At
Delaware Liberal,
El Somnambulo writes—
Yet More Suckitude From John Carney:
He is terrible. Today, our ‘Honorable’ voted with the Rethugs and 35 other phony D’s to “exempt many private equity fund advisers from a provision in the 2010 Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform law which required advisers with more than $150 million in assets under management to register with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.”
What earthly public purpose could be served by such an exemption? None, none at least that makes sense from a progressive perspective.
John, you were elected under the false pretense that you are/were a Democrat.
You’re not. You’re a tool of this nation’s greediest.
Do everyone a favor and retire. Time for a real Democrat.
At
Progress Illinois,
Ellyn Fortino writes—
Chicago Fast Food, Retail Workers Walk Off The Job, Take Part In 100-City Strike:
A few hundred Chicago fast food and retail workers walked off the job Thursday as part of a national day of strikes for higher wages and the right to form a union without retaliation.
The Chicago strikers marched to fast food establishments in the Loop and along the Magnificent Mile this morning, chanting "Workers can't survive on $8.25!" and "We want change. We ain't talking about pennies!"
The downtown protests specifically hit Macy's, McDonald’s, Snarfs, Sears, Walgreens and Wendy's. Strikers also rallied outside McDonald's and Wendy's locations on the North and South sides later in the afternoon. A huge puppet of the Grinch, representing the "greedy" fast food and retail companies, tagged along with the strikers.
"Everything is going up in Chicago but our wages," said Alfred Dellahousaye, 27, one striker from the Forever 21 store on Michigan Avenue, where he's worked for more than two years. "You got rent going up. Gas going up ... It’s pretty hard to survive making $8.25 or $9 an hour. Even $10 an hour is like you're just barely getting by."
At
The Progressive Pulse of North Carolina,
Rob Schofield writes—
Protest Scheduled Against Holman Forest Sell-Off:
For those interested in the growing movement to fight back against the incredibly troubling decision by N. C. State to sell-off 79,000 acres forest that it has owned almost 80 years, there will be a protest this Friday on the N.C. State campus in the Brickyard from noon to 2:00 p.m.
As the organizers have described it:
“This is your chance to help save a 79,000 acre forest that has been owned for the benefit of NCSU for 80 years. The University has just signed a contract to sell Hofmann to an Illinois corn farmer, who has big plans for destroy the forest to grow food for pigs (we’re not making this up!).”
At
Bleeding Heartland of Iowa,
desmoinesdem writes—
Iowa split as House votes to undo another Dodd-Frank provision:
For the third time since October, Iowa's representatives have split along party lines as the U.S. House approved a bill that would undermine the 2010 Dodd-Frank financial reform law. Pete Kasperowicz reported for The Hill that the "Small Business Capital Access and Job Preservation Act" would remove a requirement for private equity firms to register with the Securities and Exchange Commission. It passed the House yesterday by 254 votes to 159, as 36 Democrats joined almost the entire Republican caucus. Iowa Republicans Tom Latham (IA-03) and Steve King (IA-04) voted for the bill, while Bruce Braley (IA-01) and Dave Loebsack (IA-02) voted no, along with most of the House Democrats. Braley and Loebsack also opposed the two other recent Republican efforts to undermine Dodd-Frank.
I have not seen any public comment on this vote from the Iowans in Congress. The Obama administration opposes the bill.
The legislation effectively provides a blanket registration and reporting exemption for private equity funds, undermining advances in investor protection and regulatory oversight implemented by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) under Title IV of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (Wall Street Reform).
At
Hillbilly Report,
Hillbilly writes—
Mitch McConnell Injects His Daughters Into His Campaign. Maybe He Should Check Their Facebook Pages:
Mitch McConnell's campaign spokeswoman Allison Moore:
Huffington Post
"As the father of three daughters, fair pay for women is more than a talking point for Sen. McConnell," campaign spokeswoman Allison Moore said. "It's something he's worked to achieve his entire career by setting an example for others and promoting thoughtful policies to ensure talent overcomes bias.
"Senator Mitch McConnell I've got news for you you, at least one of your daughters and you aren't on the same page when it comes to politics. Hell you aren't even friends on Facebook.
Senator Mitch McConnell while you was making it your top priority to limit Barack Obama to one term one of your daughters was liking the Facebook page entitled "Give Obama a break, it takes a long time to clean up 8 years of crap."
Senator Mitch McConnell, are you so out of touch that you don't realize that at least one of your daughters likes the following Facebook pages? Wendy Davis, Occupy Wall St., We Want Elizabeth Warren, Congressman John Yarmuth, Barefoot and Progressive, Feminist Teacher, Amending the Constitution so Corporations Can’t Buy Elections, Howard Zinn, Telling Dick Cheney to Shut the Hell Up (by Leftake.com), Confirming Sonia Sotomayor as a Supreme Court Justice, Fairness Campaign, Ms. Foundation for Women, Martha Coakley, Wanda Sykes, Telling Rush Limbaugh he’s Full of Crap (by Leftake.com), Ted Kennedy, Give Obama a break, it takes a long time to clean up 8 years of crap.
At
MN Progressive Project,
The Big E writes—
Thousand sign petition urging Star Tribune to ban climate denier letters:
More than a month ago, I created a petition asking the Minneapolis Star Tribune to stop publishing letters from climate change deniers. The LA Times instituted a policy that they would no longer give voice to those who deny that climate change is real. I think the Strib should join them.
The problem is that the climate denial cranks get more coverage than they deserve. The science shows that climate change is real. By science I mean peer-reviewed scientific study. There is no peer-reviewed scientific data that casts any doubt at all.
So I was surprised that over 1,000 people have signed the petition.