Major Blows To The Progressive Movement
The past few weeks have not been good for the Progressive movement, or the Democratic Party for that matter. Besides losing Anthony Weiner (one of the few Progressives in Congress), other severe blows have been happening which further damages this country.
Defeat For Unions
Last Thursday in New Jersey, the Assembly passed legislation which increases the cost union workers have to pay for health insurance and pensions. Just like in Wisconsin, the unions were more than willing to compromise but drastic action was taken by Republicans to shut them down. Another blow for the unions who are responsible for building up the middle class in this country.
Supreme Court Ruling For Walmart
What crap is it when the Supreme Court comes to the aid of big corporations, again? Female workers who feel discriminated in the male dominated corporation known as Walmart have lost their ability to file a class action lawsuit. Employees who want power in numbers to battle abuses in the court system now cannot. Recognizing corporate-wide trends seem to be of no use. Imagine if auto companies didn’t have to recognize trends… there would be no recalls. Oh no, I think I gave the right wing some ideas…
Supreme Court Ruling For EPA
The mighty Supreme Court put a stop to any city or state which dares to be more stricter than the EPA. (A similar ruling happened during the Bush years with California wanting to increase their MPG regulation on vehicles.) The right is so hypocritical with all this “states rights” bull shit when they don’t have the power to supersede federal regulations? I don’t hear the Tea Baggers or the Republicans going after the Supreme Court on these issues (or any issues for that matter since the most important are 5-4 rulings).
No Tax Increases
With Boehner walking out on budget talks there doesn’t seem to be any common ground except where the Republican is standing (yet again). Obama is pretty much being forced to allow the richest of the rich to get away with billions of dollars in taxes that they should have to pay. Taxes haven’t been this low since 1950. Facing the approaching cap on the debt ceiling, Republicans prefer to take money from the middle class through drastic cuts in Social Security and Medicare rather than their real constituents, the rich.
Weak Withdraw
Alright Obama for wanting to almost withdraw the surge he put in place in Afghanistan. By 2013 we will still have more troops in Afghanistan than there were when Obama took office.