ASPEN, COLO. – A group of Latino artists, communicators, politicians and advocates are congregating in Colorado this week for the Raizado Festival, a gathering that seeks to address issues affecting the community in media, organizing and politics.
Organizers of the Raizado Festival — the name is Spanish for "rooted" — purposely chose Aspen, a place where powerful groups hold summits that direct the future of industry, philanthropy and civil society organizations.
"Ov...
Month: August 2022
White House faces legal questions with student loan forgiveness plan
The White House has stepped into tricky legal territory with a plan to erase $10,000 in federal student loan debt for millions of borrowers.
The plan is expected to face legal challenges, which would cause uncertainty for borrowers who stand to benefit from the new policy.
At the same time, there are also expected to be challenges for those planning to sue the administration over the plan.
Demonstrating standing in the case in particular is seen...
Reconciliation can be a game changer for pro-worker policies
The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) does many valuable things: It reduces prescription drug prices, combats climate change and makes corporations pay a minimum tax. One of the more consequential and lasting impacts of the new law, however, could be that it highlights how Congress can move forward with pro-worker legislation. Until the Senate filibuster is reformed, the most likely path for Congress to support workers and their labor unions lies with budget reconciliation&nb...
Government programs have become one big fraud-fest
How much of America’s $30.7 trillion national debt is a result of fraud? A lot, and it’s growing exponentially.
Eliminating “waste, fraud and abuse” is a standard political campaign mantra. It almost never happens. And while the problem has grown worse over the years, federal COVID-19 relief and the Biden administration have goosed the surge.
Here’s how New York Times reporter David A. Fahrnethold began a recent news article, “In the midst of the pandemic, the govern...
Government programs have become one big fraud-fest
How much of America’s $30.7 trillion national debt is a result of fraud? A lot, and it’s growing exponentially.
Eliminating “waste, fraud and abuse” is a standard political campaign mantra. It almost never happens. And while the problem has grown worse over the years, federal COVID-19 relief and the Biden administration have goosed the surge.
Here’s how New York Times reporter David A. Fahrnethold began a recent news article, “In the midst of the pandemic, the govern...
Government programs have become one big fraud-fest
How much of America’s $30.7 trillion national debt is a result of fraud? A lot, and it’s growing exponentially.
Eliminating “waste, fraud and abuse” is a standard political campaign mantra. It almost never happens. And while the problem has grown worse over the years, federal COVID-19 relief and the Biden administration have goosed the surge.
Here’s how New York Times reporter David A. Fahrnethold began a recent news article, “In the midst of the pandemic, the govern...
25-year-old Maxwell Alejandro Frost wins Democratic nomination to succeed Demings
Maxwell Alejandro Frost, a 25-year-old gun control activist, is projected to clinch the Democratic nomination on Tuesday to succeed Rep. Val Demings (D-Fla.) in the House.
The Associated Press called the race at 9 p.m.
Frost overcame a crowded primary field that included longtime Florida Democratic politicos, including former Reps. Alan Grayson (D-Fla.) and Corrine Brown (D-Fla.). Given the strong Democratic tilt of Florida’s 10th District, he’s almost certain to wi...
How can Democrats get our message across? Piece by piece
So often in politics, particularly when it comes to major legislative proposals that become big legislative wins, we think that messaging the whole bill will drive the polls and public opinion. Unfortunately, as Democrats should have learned from the Affordable Care Act (ACA), that assumption can be a big mistake.
In fact, it not only can prove to be a less efficient and effective game plan, it also can leave us open to a dizzying array of focused, if baseless, attacks on indi...
How can Democrats get our message across? Piece by piece
So often in politics, particularly when it comes to major legislative proposals that become big legislative wins, we think that messaging the whole bill will drive the polls and public opinion. Unfortunately, as Democrats should have learned from the Affordable Care Act (ACA), that assumption can be a big mistake.
In fact, it not only can prove to be a less efficient and effective game plan, it also can leave us open to a dizzying array of focused, if baseless, attacks on indi...
What’s the more effective safety net?
There long has been a debate among social policy advocates and politicians over which makes better policy and is more politically sustainable: universal programs like Social Security and Medicare or targeted ones like Medicaid and food stamps.
The assumption is that universal programs fare better as, by definition, they have more beneficiaries. Conventional wisdom has it that during the Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush presidencies, programs focused on the poor were shredded...