Wisconsin Republicans are Following in North Carolina’s Footsteps

During the lame duck session in Wisconsin’s state legislature, a coup of sorts has taken place. Robin Vos, the current Republican Speaker of the State Assembly, has overseen the passage of legislation that will empower the State Legislature at the expense of the incoming Governor, Tony Evers, simply because Evers is a Democrat. Their ability to even attempt this is due to gerrymandering, the manipulation … Continue reading Wisconsin Republicans are Following in North Carolina’s Footsteps »

Tax Cuts Enrich Members of Congress Who Wrote Them

A year ago yesterday, Republicans in Congress cut taxes for the wealthiest Americans. Corporations and millionaires benefited greatly from the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, while the middle class were the losers.. What most Americans don’t know, however, is the identity of one  group who received a particularly massive windfall from this legislation– the Republican who wrote it. Through manipulation of the “pass-through” filing status, … Continue reading Tax Cuts Enrich Members of Congress Who Wrote Them »

Stock Buybacks, not Wages, Surge One Year After Tax Cuts

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) was marketed as a middle class tax cut that would promote higher wages. Exactly one year after its passage, stock buybacks have soared while wage growth has remained stagnant. During the first half of this year, a whopping $384 billion was spent on stock buybacks. Stock buybacks, which happen when a company repurchases its own shares from the … Continue reading Stock Buybacks, not Wages, Surge One Year After Tax Cuts »

Still No Wage Growth One Year After Tax Cuts

A year ago this week, Republicans passed the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. Among other things, they promised their legislation would generate jobs and increase wages. Neither has happened. Data suggests that, despite Republicans positioning their tax cuts as a boon for the middle class, the results have been more beneficial to shareholders than people who actually work for a living. Out of 152 corporations … Continue reading Still No Wage Growth One Year After Tax Cuts »

Wealth Inequality is Corrupting our Healthcare System

Over the last three decades, I’ve held multiple jobs in the healthcare industry, and have taken multiple healthcare and Affordable Care Act (ACA) classes. Besides my role running a startup medical device company, I’ve consulted for various healthcare startups and investors, and am married to a doctor who started and built a large medical practice that serves thousands of patients. Through education, hard work, saving … Continue reading Wealth Inequality is Corrupting our Healthcare System »

Money in Politics in Wisconsin

We’ve all seen the ongoing breakdown in the Wisconsin political system caused by Republicans in the WI statehouse. Rather than respect the outcome of this November’s election, legislators are working to undermine the incoming Democrat governor-elect, Tony Evers. This has earned widespread outrage at the state’s Republican legislators, but what few people know is that they’re not acting alone. Walgreens is financially supporting the power … Continue reading Money in Politics in Wisconsin »

The Republican Witnesses We Would Have Heard Today

While they still control the legislative agenda, Republicans on the House Education and the Workforce Committee planned to use their power to falsely claim that raising the minimum wage would somehow be bad for workers. To do so, they planned a hearing on the federal minimum wage titled “Mandating a $15 Minimum Wage: Consequences for Workers and Small Businesses,” with a full list of biased … Continue reading The Republican Witnesses We Would Have Heard Today »

“Save Our Vote” Campaign Keeps Initiative 77 Fight Alive

This summer, more than half of DC voters supported Initiative 77, which would eliminate the two-tiered wage system and increase the tipped minimum wage to match the rising non-tipped minimum wage at $15/hr. Almost six months later, activists are still working to see the will of voters go into effect. The “Save Our Vote” organizers, who are collecting signatures to overturn the DC City Council … Continue reading “Save Our Vote” Campaign Keeps Initiative 77 Fight Alive »

Democracy Suspended in Wisconsin and Michigan

This election season has been particularly ugly, exposing many weak spots in our democracy. After being defeated in statewide races, Republican legislators in Wisconsin and Michigan are spending what little time they have left before their new governors take power doing everything possible to subvert the will of their states’ voters. The partisan weakening of incoming governors’ powers, as well as undoing of citizen-supported measures … Continue reading Democracy Suspended in Wisconsin and Michigan »

Michigan’s Minimum Wage and Paid-Leave Legislation Scam

During a year in which the political drama just won’t end, Republicans in Michigan have managed to pile onto their voter suppression in a devilishly ingenious way. Yesterday, during a lame duck session just months after passing the minimum wage and paid-leave legislation workers in the state were clamoring for, Republicans gutted their own legislation, accomplishing the con of the holiday season in the process. … Continue reading Michigan’s Minimum Wage and Paid-Leave Legislation Scam »

Ballot Initiative Restores Felon Voting Rights in Florida

While the Democrats winning the House in last month’s midterms means new checks and balances on the Trump admin’s efforts to turn federal coffers into the donor class’s piggyback, the result of a Florida ballot question is arguably the greatest win of 2018. Amendment 4, the ballot initiative that received 64% of the vote, will restore voting rights to 1.4 million Floridians with felony convictions … Continue reading Ballot Initiative Restores Felon Voting Rights in Florida »

GM Layoffs Result of Trump Tax Plan

On Monday, General Motors (GM) announced it will be shutting down five factories and cutting almost 14,000 jobs in North America. With this announcement just weeks before the holidays, thousands of American families, along with the communities in Maryland, Michigan, and Ohio that they live in, now face an existential financial crisis. GM’s executives and investors, will have no such problems, however, in large part … Continue reading GM Layoffs Result of Trump Tax Plan »

Private Equity Firms Don’t Deserve a Tax Cut

This week, an expose by the Washington Post uncovered a pattern of worsening living conditions in a Pennsylvania nursing-home after its purchase by private equity giant Carlyle Group. Despite being owned by one of the richest private equity firms in the world, the nursing-home struggled financially, leading to elderly residents suffering bedsores, broken bones, infections, and unsanitary living conditions. This is the most recent example … Continue reading Private Equity Firms Don’t Deserve a Tax Cut »

Public Offices Need to be More Accessible to Working Class Candidates

Elected Officials and Outside Income — Not a Good Match

Recently, Representative-elect Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez told the New York Times that she was having a hard time finding an apartment in Washington DC, in part because she will not be receiving any salary until she is sworn in as a member of Congress in January. Beyond the issue of Washington rent being, frankly, out of control, this brings up the real issue of how most Americans … Continue reading Public Offices Need to be More Accessible to Working Class Candidates »

Because of the Supreme Court’s Complicity, Our Elections Lack Integrity

With more races being decided by ever-slimmer margins, like in Florida’s gubernatorial and senate elections, increasing attention is being paid to who can and cannot vote, and how difficult the voting process has become for certain Americans. This midterm election was decided in part by widespread voter suppression, and it’s time for Americans to acknowledge how much partisan maneuvering is to blame. In this summer’s … Continue reading Because of the Supreme Court’s Complicity, Our Elections Lack Integrity »

Georgia’s Gubernatorial Election is a National Embarrassment

By now, the entire country has heard the issues surrounding the governor’s race in Georgia. Under Republican candidate Brian Kemp’s supervision, massive voter suppression took place. As the sitting Secretary of State, Kemp should be held responsible for unused, still wrapped voting machines being found days after the election, hour-long lines, and tens of thousands of unprocessed registrations. Instead, he is likely to be rewarded … Continue reading Georgia’s Gubernatorial Election is a National Embarrassment »

Trump’s Track Record So Far with Hiring “the Best People”

When he was running for the Republican nomination, and eventually the presidency, Trump made a number of campaign promises that have fallen to the wayside. The most disregarded of these being to “hire the best people” when asked how he would navigate domestic and international policy with no experience. Sure enough, he is elected and does hire a ton of people. How smart they are … Continue reading Trump’s Track Record So Far with Hiring “the Best People” »

Campaign Finance Investigation into Rep. Mia Love is Ongoing

With so many scandals taking place in Congress these days it’s hard to keep tabs on every instance of misconduct, but it’s important not to ignore the less salacious scandals like the ongoing campaign finance complaints against Utah Rep. Mia Love. Love, who is running for a third term, is being accused by the Alliance for a Better Utah of raising nearly $1.1 million for … Continue reading Campaign Finance Investigation into Rep. Mia Love is Ongoing »

North Carolina Tax Amendment Jeopardizes Students’ Futures

Tuesday, North Carolinians will be able to vote on a ballot initiative that would change the economic trajectory of our state for generations to come. I’m talking about the amendment to lower the maximum tax rate on incomes from 10% to 7%. If approved, this change would severely hurt our state’s ability to govern effectively, as well as compromise the integrity of our education system. … Continue reading North Carolina Tax Amendment Jeopardizes Students’ Futures »

Letting Larry Kudlow Dictate Economic Policy is “a Terrible Idea”

This morning, Trump’s top economic advisor Larry Kudlow called the federal minimum wage “a terrible idea.” The only thing terrible about the federal minimum wage is that it hasn’t been increased in almost a decade. Since its institution in 1938, the federal minimum wage has helped millions of Americans move into the middle class. In the decades since, business interests have fought every federal minimum … Continue reading Letting Larry Kudlow Dictate Economic Policy is “a Terrible Idea” »