Why isn't the nation talking about the "People's Budget"?

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Thursday March 19, 2015 · 12:20 PM PDT

2015/03/19 · 12:20

Shouldn't we be helping spread the word about the Congressional Progressive Caucus' "People's Budget"? Here's the preamble:

The People's Budget fixes an economy that, for too long, has failed to provide the opportunities American families need to get ahead. Despite their skills and work ethic, most American workers and families are so financially strapped from increasing income inequality that their paychecks barely cover basic necessities. They earn less and less as corporations and the wealthy continue amassing record profits. It has become clear to American workers that the system is rigged.
The People’s Budget levels the playing field and creates economic opportunity by increasing the pay of middle- and low-income Americans. More customers and higher consumer spending advance American businesses, not tax cuts and relaxed regulations. The People’s Budget drives a full economic recovery by creating high-quality jobs and reducing family expenses, restoring the buying power of working Americans.

The People’s Budget closes tax loopholes that companies use to ship jobs overseas. It creates fair tax rates for millionaires and provides needed relief to low- and middle-income families. It invests in debt-free college, workforce training and small businesses within our communities, helping return our economy to full employment and giving a raise to Americans who need it most. Investments in The People’s Budget boost employment and wages by addressing some of the biggest challenges of our time: repairing America’s rapidly aging roads and bridges, upgrading our energy systems to address climate change, keeping our communities safe, and preparing our young people to thrive as citizens and workers.

A fair wage is more than the size of a paycheck. It’s having enough hours, paid overtime, sick and parental leave, and affordable health and childcare. It’s being able to afford a good education for your kids and never living in fear that your job will be sent overseas. It’s knowing you can make ends meet at the end of the month. The People’s Budget helps achieve that with a raise for American workers, a raise for struggling families and a boost to America’s long-term global competitiveness.

Read it all here: http://cpc.grijalva.house.gov/...
We need to be talking this up, because the mainstream media sure won't.

Privatizing state pensions: A dry run for undermining Social Security?

no2wingnuts

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Wednesday October 09, 2013 · 10:55 AM PDT

2013/10/09 · 10:55

There has been a considerable amount of buzz in the lefty blogosphere about "The Plot Against Pensions" report by David Sirota for the Institute for America's Future (http://y.ourfuture.org/...). The report details the state-by-state, systematic efforts by the Pew Charitable Trusts' Public Sector Retirement Systems Project and the Laura and John Arnold Foundation to pressure state legislatures to do away with traditional defined-benefit pensions for public employees and shift these workers into riskier 401(k)-type plans.

Among the report's findings:
* Conservative activists are manufacturing the perception of a public pension crisis in order to slash modest retiree benefits.
* The pension “reforms” being pushed by conservative activists are often more expensive and risky for taxpayers than existing pension plans.
* Pew/Arnold are working together in states across the country to focus the debate over pensions primarily on slashing retiree benefits.
* If successful, this campaign will probably fuel a renewed effort to privatize Social Security.
* Since the Pew/Arnold partnership began in 2011, it has successfully lobbied legislatures in several states to switch from defined-benefit plans to hybrids (a combination of a defined-benefit and 401k plan): Florida, Rhode Island, Kansas, Kentucky, Montana. It is widely expected that this partnership will next move into California, Colorado, Pennsylvania, Oklahoma and Nevada.

RSS