This week at 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 be watching. Here is the April 1 edition. Inclusion of a blog post does not necessarily indicate my agreement with—or endorsement of—its contents.
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At MN Progressive Project, Dan Burns writes—Rural Trump voters are in for a crushing reality check:
I’m well aware that not all rural voters went for Trump, any more than all urbanites didn’t. Nor are all city dwellers all politically knowledgeable and sophisticated, while all country folks aren’t. I shouldn’t have to note that, but such assumptions seem implicit in too much online discussion of rural issues in politics, including on the progressive left. Anyway:
The people in rural areas who voted for President Trump in droves have much at stake in his proposed budget.
Trump’s budget plan cuts a wide range of federal funding sources, including a water and sewer program that provided more than $200 million to greater Minnesota communities over the last five years.
(MPR)
A far more substantive factor in what’s been going on in rural Wisconsin is the state having turned over its governance to worthless, corrupt Tea Party extremists in 2010, and not having corrected that since. The last time a lot of people were looking at Wisconsin was 2015, because of Gov. Scott Walker’s much-hyped but short-lived presidential run. But a search for 2016 shows that it still sucks, by the standards of the Upper Midwest, especially when it comes to the sorts of small business start-ups that would be key to any real rural economic renewal.
Voters in rural Wisconsin put right-wingers in charge in 2010, and that’s the biggest reason they’re “left behind.” In Minnesota, promising policy trends from 2012-14 largely ended when Minnesota outstate voters (and urban/suburban non-voters) gave the GOP control of the MN House and, now, the Senate. And in the worst kind of irony, who did country dwellers in both states vote for, for U.S. President in 2016, looking for change for the better? It truly sucks, but there it is.
At Dakota Free Press, Cory Allen Heidelberger writes—Anti-Islam Speaker Brings Propaganda Pole Dance to Aberdeen Tonight:
The local xenophobes club is bringing another anti-Islam rant session to Aberdeen tonight. The session with Clare Lopez will do nothing to advance Aberdeen’s economy or culture. It certainly will not advance fact. Part of a cluster of fact-free celebrations of bigotry happening around the state this month, this “Americans First, Task Force” seems to serve no purpose than to stoke an angry conservative voter base just in time for another election.
I have as little need or desire to sit through another of these dreary, un-American programs as I do to sit through a performance at the local nudie bar to know what will happen.
We know the contents of Clare Lopez’s propaganda pole dance. We can view her material on any number of filthy websites (although with the new sell-our-data law Kristi, Mike, and John voted for, I hesitate to access these sites, even for mere research).
Just as at the strip club, a woman will stand before a leering audience and peddle lies. She will tease her audience into believing that behavior that would be unacceptable in most public settings is perfectly fine in this darkened room. She will tease her viewers into thinking they are viewing deep, exotic truths that make them better, more manly.
Observing this spectacle serves little good; it only degrades the observer.
At Blue Jersey, deciminyan writes—Blue Jersey Endorses the NJ March for Science:
On April 22, people around the country will be marching in support for evidence-based decision making within our halls of power. That day is the traditional Earth Day with the flagship march in Washington DC.
This year, it is more important than ever to raise awareness of science, fact-based policy making, and education. With a climate change denier as head of the EPA, a totally unqualified Energy Secretary, and a fossil-fool President, we need to steer the nation on the right track.
Blue Jersey is proud to be among the list of groups endorsing this event.
The New Jersey satellite march will be held in Trenton with speakers at the War Memorial starting at 10:00 AM followed by a short march up to the steps of the State Capitol and further remarks. Details about the march can be found here.
At Capital & Main of California, Rev. Jim Conn writes—Will Businesses Continue to Fight Climate Change?
Soon after President Trump’s inauguration, I visited my friend David Abel. A decade ago he started an annual convocation called VerdeXchange. It gathers state and local officials, advocates and business people to talk about climate change – what should be done about it, what efforts they are making and what public policies would further that work. I wanted to know what he thought about our prospects for progress under the new administration.
Fundamentally, he told me, the direction has been set: Efforts by the private sector to stop climate change have penetrated too deeply into the business world, and claimed too much capital, to be thwarted by any single federal administration.
I’m not sure I’m that optimistic, and our conversation took place before Trump proposed cutting nearly one third of the Environmental Protection Agency’s budget. But I trust my friend’s judgment about how embedded climate-conscious policies have become in the business world. From battery R&D to farming methodologies to manufacturing practices, we seem to be on a track worth celebrating, despite the push and pull.
At Juanita Jean’s of Texas, Juanita Jean Herownself writes—It’s Steve Stockman Day at the Beauty Salon!
Stockman spent his congressional career stomping and yelling about the damn government. He wanted the government out of everything. No government means good government.
Uh, until now. He appeared in court yesterday and told the judge he only has $17 in his bank account so he can’t afford a lawyer. He can’t work either since his job requires him to travel out of the country but he can’t do that while he’s out on bond.
The guy stole close to $1.2 million of charitable contributions. He’s a scam artist. But, he’s a master at scam artistry because he told the judge ….
Stockman told the judge he needed to dismiss his hand-picked lawyers from the elite firm of Smyser Kaplan & Veselka and ideally he wanted the court to re-appoint them to the case at the government’s expense. She said she’d consider the request.
She’d consider it? Wait, wait, every other defendant in the courtroom gets what they get from the public defender system, but this guy wants us to pay for his fancy-pants hand-picked white collar crime law firm? Oh hell, no.
So overnight this guy goes from wanting to destroy the government to wanting to buy lobster with food stamps, something he used to accuse others of doing?
Stockman admits that he owns a house, rental property, two vans and his wife makes $72 grand a year. He can pay his lawyer.
I hate Republicans. I really do.
At Blue Oregon, Chuck Sheketoff writes—Who needs a housing subsidy more?
In a world in which the State of Oregon has unlimited revenue to spend addressing society's needs for education, economic development, housing, health care, child foster care, seniors’ care, and the like, it might be okay to give everyone a housing subsidy.
Of course, that’s not the world we live in.
We live in a world in which revenue is scarce and the needs are great, especially housing needs. Many Oregon families struggle to keep a roof over their heads, and some have lost that struggle.
In this difficult reality, whom should the state prioritize when it comes to subsidizing housing? The low-income family struggling to keep a roof over their head or living on the streets, or the family that can afford to purchase safe, comfortable housing?
That, in a nutshell, is what the debate around reforming the Oregon mortgage interest deduction is all about.
Totaling $1.1 billion in the next budget cycle, the mortgage interest deduction is far-and-away Oregon’s biggest housing subsidy. The deduction only benefits about three out of 10 Oregon taxpayers, and the bulk of the tax subsidy is going to those at the higher-end of the income ladder. [...]
Sadly, that’s the way the Oregon Association of Realtors wants to keep it.
At Horses Ass of Washington, Goldy writes—Tim Eyman Is a Horse’s Ass:
No, I don’t plan to blog about this (too busy working on important stuff), but, well, it wouldn’t be right to let the day go by here without at least a little mention:
✔@AGOWA
AG Ferguson joined by PDC Chair Anne Levinson announces $2mm lawsuit against Tim Eyman and associates for concealment
So, our old friend Tim Eyman (this blog’s namesake) faces a $2 million civil penalty. Which is great and all that. But I must admit to being disappointed that he isn’t facing felony charges. And no, I’m not afraid to publicly assert that I think he committed multiple felonies.
FYI, for those keeping track, I first broke the story that ultimately led to this lawsuit almost five years ago in The Stranger. As for the notion that Timmy was getting kickbacks from signature gatherers, I suggested that back in 2006. So, you know, I told you so.
At BlueNC, scharrison writes—GOP's "campus free speech" legislation actually violates 1st Amendment:
Also known as the Authoritarian Libertarian conundrum:
State legislators have filed two “campus free speech” bills that on their face would eventually force UNC-Chapel Hill and perhaps other campuses in the UNC system to revise some of their campus-conduct rules and procedures.
As introduced, the N.C. House bill would require the system Board of Governors to prescribe “a range of disciplinary sanctions” for anyone affiliated with a UNC campus “who interferes with the free expression of others.” A board committee would monitor the campuses’ handling of that.
That's right, if you argue with somebody because you don't agree with what they are proselytizing about, you will be disciplined for speaking out. It would be bad enough if the publicly-funded university came up with this, but to have state government enshrine that into statute is *exactly* why the 1st Amendment was added to the Constitution. To keep government from deciding who gets to speak and who doesn't. Yes, it gets messy sometimes, like when Tom Tancredo couldn't get a word in edgewise over protesters on the UNC campus. But stifling those voices of dissent is not the way to cure that messiness, it's how you end up with a place where the word "democracy" becomes nothing more than a label. [...]
At The Mudflats of Alaska, Shannyn Moore writes—If McConnell wanted Dan Sullivan to have principles, he’d give him some:
It’s no secret that I hold Alaska’s junior senator, Dan Sullivan, in low esteem. It’s a low esteem he has earned. For one thing, he’s a carpetbagger. Alaska was just a convenient horse for his raging ambition. He’s a political mercenary. I cannot understand the “charm” some Alaskans seem to see in him. If Dan cares about anything, it’s the elevation of Dan.
Suffice it to say, my opinion of the junior senator was so low he needed to dig a hole to go lower. But this week, Sullivan, Mitch McConnell’s Mini-Me, broke out his shovel. Turns out he’s a more craven political hack than even I thought.
The U.S. Senate voted to allow states to defund Planned Parenthood. The vote was a tie until Mike Pence, our vice president and chief ayatollah, cast the tie-breaker. The Pence vote was no shocker; we already knew that as governor of Indiana, Pence cut Planned Parenthood there, which quickly led to the nation’s fastest-growing HIV epidemic. Pence also signed a law that health facilities pay for funeral or cremation services in cases of miscarriage or abortion — a law stayed by a judge before it could take effect. Thanks to Pence and his fellow travelers in the legislature, Indiana law bestows second-class citizenship on anyone with a vagina.
Lisa Murkowski, our senior senator (who would qualify as a second-class citizen in Indiana), voted on the other side. Sullivan, were he to give a damn about the people he supposedly represents, should have been the deciding vote against the bill. But not Sullivan. He votes the Republican party line every single time. If Mitch McConnell wanted Dan to have principles, he’d give him some.
At Appalachian Voices, Cassidy Quillen and Olivia Nelson write—Students speak out against the Atlantic Coast Pipeline: Why collaborative resistance matters:
We arrived in the early evening, three days before the Walk to Protect our People and the Places we Live finished. The walkers were circled up, weary yet excited, going over highlights from the day’s route and the breakdown for the evening. That night we were sleeping in a church community center, sleeping bags already lined up on the floor and Seeds of Peace East preparing dinner for the forty or so people staying that night. Not many people are even sure what day it is or how long they’ve been walking – we found out later most stayed six or more days – but they’re excited about vegan shepherd’s pie and attending the teaching event hosted by the Lumberton community that evening.
On a broad level, Divest Appalachian traveled to Robeson County, N.C., and walked because we know that we need everyone mobilizing in this political movement to halt the Atlantic Coast Pipeline. With Trump’s push to expedite oil and gas pipelines, and the Atlantic Coast Pipeline listed as a top priority infrastructure project, there is no room for neutrality or complacency. Everyone at the action reflected similar values. The walkers came from across North Carolina, and ranged from students to retirees, united to get the message across that this pipeline is not wanted by the people of North Carolina.
Zooming in a bit more, it’s not hard to recognize that the people who would be impacted most by the Atlantic Coast Pipeline have faced a long history of exploitation by extractive industries: African Americans, Native Americans and low-income citizens. Lumberton has historically hosted people of color and is considered tribal land to the Lumbee — a Native American tribe not federally recognized, overriding their sovereignty and ability to block the Atlantic Coast Pipeline. To walk for someone else’s rights is to listen to and represent their community’s values, as well as their history. One of the foundations of the walk was getting involved with local organizers such as Mac Legerton, executive director of the Center for Community Action.
At Louisiana Voice, Tom Aswell writes—Another Jindal ‘reform’ fails legal smell test as Baton Rouge Judge strikes down changes to Workers Compensation laws:
Bobby Jindal and former Director of the Louisiana Office of Workers Compensation (OWC) Wes Hataway are gone but a court decision late last month could represent a legal smack down of the way workers’ compensation claims have been handled since July 13, 2011, Jindal’s third year in the governor’s office.
The ruling by 19th Judicial District Judge Don Johnson takes direct aim at a law pushed through the Louisiana Legislature and which set up new medical treatment guidelines for injured workers which plaintiffs said violated the due process clauses of the state and federal constitutions.
In his WRITTEN REASONS FOR JUDGMENT, Judge Johnson struck down provisions which:
- Stipulated that when a carrier/self-insured employer fails to return LWC forms within the five business days it is deemed to have denied such request for authorization;
- Provided an automatic “tacit denial” of medical treatment;
- Allowed OWC to enforce variances from medical treatment guidelines;
- Denied treatment not covered by medical treatment guidelines;
- Allowed the OWC a workers compensation carrier to arbitrarily submit—and the OWC medical director to accept—any information it desires without notifying the injured worker of the “evidence.”
At Intelligent Discontent of Montana, Pete Talbot writes—Planes, trains and …:
The Trump budget is going after Essential Air Service. It’s been reported before, here. Apparently, rural rail service could also get the axe. Montana towns like Shelby, Cut Bank, Whitefish and Wolf Point; and Glacier National Park are on the chopping block, according to the National Association of Rail Passengers.
The White House budget would lead to a nightmare scenario for people who depend on passenger rail, transit, commuter rail, and even regional air service in the United States, from Wall Street to Main Street. The proposal cuts $2.4 billion from transportation, a 13 percent reduction of last year’s funding, and includes (the) elimination of all federal funding for Amtrak’s national network trains, which provides the only national network service to 23 states, and the only nearby Amtrak service for 144.6 million Americans.
The plan threatens the Empire Builder that serves Montana’s northern tier towns and is the state’s only passenger train service.
“It’s ironic that President Trump’s first budget proposal undermines the very communities whose economic hardship and sense of isolation from the rest of the country helped propel him into office,” said NARP President Jim Mathews. “These working class communities were tired of being treated like ‘flyover country.’ But by proposing the elimination of Amtrak’s long distance trains, the Trump Administration does them one worse, cutting a vital service that connects these small town economies to the rest of the U.S. These hard working, small town Americans don’t have airports or Uber to turn to; they depend on these trains.”