At Salon, Josh Eidelson took a look at
New Year’s resolutions for the left: What liberals can win in 2014:
In 2013, abortion restrictions advanced, fast food workers struck and gun control stalled; the filibuster was curbed, stop-and-frisk was challenged and the surveillance debate was transformed. As another mixed year comes to an end, Salon asked a range of liberal or left groups and leaders to lay down benchmarks for 2014.
We emailed advocates with a simple task: Identify a few concrete victories they and their allies could realistically achieve on their issues by Dec. 31, 2014. Here’s some of what they said. Call them New Year’s resolutions if you must. Come next December, we’ll assess how they fared. [Note that nobody among the 14 Eidelson highlights talk about new economic or financial regulations]:
Stop the Keystone Pipeline: “In 2014, the Other 98% will shame the Corporate Caucus, stop the disastrous Keystone XL Pipeline and help to raise the federal minimum wage… We will make the consequences of the White House approving the Keystone XL Pipeline so toxic, the benefits of rejecting it will far outweigh those of approving it… [And] given the massive outpouring of support and solidarity we saw on [the minimum wage] in 2013, we think this is a fight we can win in 2014.” — Alexis Goldstein, communications director of The Other 98%
Pass ENDA, immigration reform and voting rights: “[W]e need the House to pass the Employment Non-Discrimination Act; fair immigration reform legislation; and to restore the heart of the Voting Rights Act, so unceremoniously gutted by the Supreme Court this past year. We must win on these issues in 2014; we can win on these issues in 2014.” — Rea Carey, executive director of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Action Fund […]
End out-of-state prisoner transfers: “The findings of our report last month showed that there are more than 10,500 prisoners that are shipped across state lines to for-profit prisons from four sending states: Hawaii, California, Idaho and Vermont. In 2014, I’m hopeful that at least one of those states will end the practice of shipping prisoners out of state while developing common-sense ways to reduce prison overcrowding.” — Bob Libal, executive director of Grassroots Leadership […]
Win workplace raises: “Working men and women from across the retail, fast food, restaurant and care sectors came together [in 2013]… My hope for 2014 is that all the low-wage workers that were in motion this year are able to win concrete improvements in their lives: better wages, better working conditions, and access to good jobs. And that all workers across various sectors of our economy – including teachers, auto makers, truck drivers, communication workers and nurses – have a voice on the job and a significant say in building an economy that works for all of us.” – Sarita Gupta, Jobs with Justice executive director.[…]
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Blast from the Past. At Daily Kos on this date in 2011—President Obama looks ahead to new year, urges accountability:
President Obama this morning announced his New Year's resolution in his weekly address: "To make sure our economy is growing, creating jobs, and strengthening our middle class. That’s my resolution for the coming year." While he made it clear that part of the burden will fall on Republicans to help make this vision a reality, he also reiterated his stance to hold office holders, including himself, "accountable":
In a few days, a new Congress will form, with one house controlled by Democrats, and one house controlled by Republicans – who now have a shared responsibility to move this country forward. And here’s what I want you to know: I’m willing to work with anyone of either party who’s got a good idea and the commitment to see it through. And we should all expect you to hold us accountable for our progress or our failure to deliver. |
Even as he pointed to signs of emergence from the recession, he encouraged Americans to look ahead, not just to the new year, but to the long term, asking ourselves questions about the future decades from now and the legacy we will leave to our children and grandchildren.
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Tweet of the Day:
Denver International Airport installed new signs warning visitors their weed can't legally go home with them.
http://t.co/...
— @explanoit
On
today's "classic" Kagro in the Morning show, it's the January 2, 2013 show. We went over the Fiscal Thingy, and just like we said, it turns out to have been fixable retroactively all along. Not that the traditional media is giving up on the metaphor, since they're reporting we somehow "averted" turning the calendar over without a deal in place, which we all know was the case.
Greg Dworkin joined in for the "Republicans in disarray" discussion. Then, the origins of the
GunFAIL series: a look December's accidental shootings by responsible gun owners, which tend to involve shooting the people the guns were supposed to protect.
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