The American Progressive Movement

[Phoenix]

Biden says he would scrap the permit for the Keystone XL pipeline.

[Phoenix]

Moderates in swing districts are joining with progressives on paycheck protection against Pelosi's wishes.

https://theintercept.com/2020/05/19/heroes-act-paycheck-bill-democrats/

The competition to lead Democrats in the House could get pretty tense in the next Congress.

[The Walrus]

Not to mention what might happen should they lose 15 more seats.

[Freegrass]

Can we spend trillions on saving the planet? Or is that just reserved for rich people that dominate the politics?

[Phoenix]

Editorial letter from black progressive organizer Philip Agnew on the work that progressives need to do in the black community to gain their confidence that they can deliver on their agenda.

https://inthesetimes.com/article/22507/Bernie-Sanders-black-voters-electability-2020-election

[Freegrass]

Editorial letter from black progressive organizer Philip Agnew on the work that progressives need to do in the black community to gain their confidence that they can deliver on their agenda.

https://inthesetimes.com/article/22507/Bernie-Sanders-black-voters-electability-2020-election

I hate Fucks news, but when they say that "progressives" keep playing the race card, they are right!

We are all people! Black, white, orange or green... We are all people!!!!!!!!

We are not apes, ants, or worms (that's debatable)
WE ARE ALL PEOPLE!!!

So please stop dividing us into narrow spaces that are only created to spur division...

[Phoenix]

Sen. Sanders and Rep. Jayapal put forth proposal to cover all health care expenses for the duration of the Covid-19 crisis. An interim version of Medicare For All.

https://www.commondreams.org/news/2020/04/10/sanders-and-jayapal-put-forth-bill-provide-no-cost-health-care-all-during-pandemic

Chances of Pelosi letting anything like this come to a vote are close to zero. McConnell would never allow this to be voted on. Still, its important to keep pushing and exposing the corruption.

[Freegrass]

Sen. Sanders and Rep. Jayapal put forth proposal to cover all health care expenses for the duration of the Covid-19 crisis. An interim version of Medicare For All.

https://www.commondreams.org/news/2020/04/10/sanders-and-jayapal-put-forth-bill-provide-no-cost-health-care-all-during-pandemic

Chances of Pelosi letting anything like this come to a vote are close to zero. McConnell would never allow this to be voted on. Still, its important to keep pushing and exposing the corruption.

You've got a con man who's never had an honest days work in his entire miserable greedy ol' pathetic lonely life pretending to be a President, and you're still posting messages from the other side of the greedy bunch that get rich by his policies and run a network (MSNBC) that's never showing the suffering of the Americannot people?


WAKE UP!!!!!!!!

We don't need trillions to save "the economy". We need trillions to save humanity and mother nature...

[The Walrus]

Can we spend trillions on saving the planet? Or is that just reserved for rich people that dominate the politics?

Probably the latter.

[Phoenix]

Biden releases highlights of his tax policy which show modest incremental movement in the progressive direction.

https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/democratic-presidential-candidates-tax-plans-effect-wealthy-wall-street-affect-2020-1-1028865128#former-vice-president-joe-biden-is-pushing-for-a-smaller-expansion-of-government-compared-to-his-progressive-rivals-but-it-would-also-be-paid-for-with-taxes-on-the-very-rich-3

Let's evaluate....

1) Roll back the Trump tax cuts and raise the corporate tax rate to 28%.

This is the bare minimum that the corporate Democratic brand has to offer in order to differentiate from the GOP after years of complaining about the GOP tax giveaway. Corporate tax rates were 35% prior to Trump .

2) Widen the child-care tax credit to $8,000.

Current credit is $2k so this is a major incremental subsidy to working families who make moderate to high income. Short of the universal pre-k that progressives would like.

3) Restore top individual tax rate to 39.6%.

Current top rate is 37%. Not much in and of itself, but #5 below makes up for it.

4) Expand renewable-energy tax credits and deductions, and scrap fossil fuel subsidies.

Baby steps in the right direction. Far short of the Green New Deal needed to prevent climate apocalypse and also be instrumental in resurrecting a post Covid economy.

5) Make all income subject to payroll taxes to protect Social Security.

This is a winner. Progressives will actually be happy with this. That's an additional 12% going toward social programs on the incremental salary.

6) Expand earned-income tax credit to older employees.

7) Tax capital gains equivalent to ordinary income for employees earning over $1 million.

Ummm... there seems to be a carve-out here for non-employees (professional investors and the uber-wealthy). The oligarchy won't be threatened by this.

Create tax credits for smaller businesses adopting savings plans in their workplaces.

9) Amazon should pay income taxes

Awaiting details.....

Summary...this is tax policy only and represents pre-election posturing. Removing the social security cap would represent a major tax increase on high earners. That's a plus, but there is nothing here that fundamentally changes things for the super rich. The American public strongly supports a wealth tax and this just illustrates how much control the oligarchs have over the electoral process.

More details needed on how Biden's plan for infrastructure priorities, economic stimulus, etc.

In the absence of a thread dedicated to a potential Biden Administration, this seems like the best place to comment on stuff like this as it shows what progressives are up against.

[sidd]

Re: Biden tax policy

1 )these have to be passed in legislature, president can do little
2) we should believe senator from MBNA because ...?

sidd

[SteveMDFP]

Summary...this is tax policy only and represents pre-election posturing. Removing the social security cap would represent a major tax increase on high earners. That's a plus, but there is nothing here that fundamentally changes things for the super rich. The American public strongly supports a wealth tax and this just illustrates how much control the oligarchs have over the electoral process.

More details needed on how Biden's plan for infrastructure priorities, economic stimulus, etc.

In the absence of a thread dedicated to a potential Biden Administration, this seems like the best place to comment on stuff like this as it shows what progressives are up against.

Nice summary, thanks.  These are significant steps in a progressive direction, though not sufficient in themselves.  Overall, we should applaud these policy proposals.  Being modest in scope may be a political necessity in an election, but a base to build upon none the less.

[Phoenix]

Re: Biden tax policy

1 )these have to be passed in legislature, president can do little
2) we should believe senator from MBNA because ...?

sidd

Progressives don't trust Biden and there is no reason to. He'll still probably get the progressive vote because he is running against Trump.

We have to apply all of the leverage that we can just as the Great Depression provided leverage to enact the New Deal under FDR. At some point, we can hope that the combination of economic malaise and climate outlook force even centrists to understand that a Green New Deal is necessary.

[The Walrus]

Biden is not a progressive.  Expecting him to enact progressive policy is foolhardy.  Thinking that we need action akin to that of the Great Depression is similar.  We are not in the same boat.  The green new deal lacked support before the virus outbreak.  It is unlikely to gain support now.  People are looking for protection from this infection and ways to restart the economy.  Other actions must necessarily take a a back seat.  If Biden were to pursue anything else, his chance for election diminishes.

[Phoenix]

Biden is not a progressive.  Expecting him to enact progressive policy is foolhardy.  Thinking that we need action akin to that of the Great Depression is similar.  We are not in the same boat.  The green new deal lacked support before the virus outbreak.  It is unlikely to gain support now.  People are looking for protection from this infection and ways to restart the economy.  Other actions must necessarily take a a back seat.  If Biden were to pursue anything else, his chance for election diminishes.

Biden is not an authoritarian monolith. He's a corporate Democrat who has represented the interests of probably ten or twenty thousand wealthy or otherwise influential insiders and donors

The system may not seem dynamic in the short run, but a hundred year peak in inequality, Covid-19 and climate breakdown are making the status quo unsustainable. There is a huge baby bust in the US as increasing #'s of young people can't afford kids or don't have enough confidence in the future to have them.

There is some recognition that the milquetoast policies of Obama led to the election of a demagogue in Trump and the need to address the needs of the working poor. Biden will move left simply because he has to in order to govern. His proposal to remove the wage cap on social security taxes is a genuine move left. His proposal to end fossil fuel subsidies and create credits for renewables and child care are moves to the left.

I would ask you to identify the criteria for defining a depression and why you rule out the possibility of needing similar government intervention to the New Deal to get us out of the malaise triggered by Covid. We have food lines and hunger in the US and food banks are getting tapped out.

You have a fair # of billionaires who are acknowledging that the inequality problem and safety net must be addressed. They don't want to see guillotine levels of public angst. When the billionaires tell Biden he has to move left, he will. Those are the people he takes direction from.

[The Walrus]

The short definition of a depression is a prolonged recession, typically lasting two tears or longer.  We are currently at about two months.  The longer definition involves not just the length, but the breadth and depth.  To call this a depression now requires incredible foresight.  I have not heard of extensive food lines or hunger anywhere.

[blumenkraft]

.. lasting two tears or longer...

Freudian slip for 600!

[Phoenix]

The short definition of a depression is a prolonged recession, typically lasting two tears or longer.  We are currently at about two months.  The longer definition involves not just the length, but the breadth and depth.  To call this a depression now requires incredible foresight.  I have not heard of extensive food lines or hunger anywhere.

NYC distributing 1 million meals a day.

https://www.foxnews.com/us/nyc-deliver-one-million-meals-per-day-combat-coronavirus-food-shortage

America's hunger crisis amid covid-19

https://www.vox.com/2020/5/11/21233063/food-banks-snap-coronavirus

1 in 4 Americans struggle with hunger amid coronavirus

https://www.marketwatch.com/story/amid-coronavirus-one-in-four-americans-project-to-struggle-with-hunger-2020-05-04

[Phoenix]

Article from progressive muckraker David Sirota explaining the cooperation between corporate Democrats and the GOP.

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/may/26/democrats-trump-corporate-counter-revolution

American's are just brainwashed by the corporate media and manipulated into buckets in a cynical Orwellian divide and conquer strategy. It's effectively a one party corporatocracy with the dems and gop providing kabuki theater opposition to each other.

Sad to say, but the US needs a critical mass of the corporate media swallowing boomer class to pass away before the internet centric younger generation can change things.

The clash over climate policy is going to be huge. History tells us that people don't accept death passively if they don't have to. Bring on an epic 2020 hurricane season amid Covid and let the battle rip.

[Phoenix]

Editorial comments....

As a huge Sanders supporter and campaign volunteer, I was of course extremely bummed that he didn't win the nomination. America and the world could sorely use his policy approach.

But there is a possibility that history will still see Bernie as the hero of this era.

Bernie spent five consecutive years beating progressive policy prescriptions into the public consciousness. And while he didn't win the election, he did a great job of winning a lot of mind share for those ideas.

At this point in the process, Bernie can't be the rabble rouser stirring up too much pressure on Biden. He needs Biden to prevail in order to have any influence going forward. But after Biden would take office, one might reasonably expect Bernie to grow some fangs and try to become the organizer in chief he hoped to become as president. He has seven grandchildren and he takes climate change very seriously. I don't see him fading quietly quietly into the night, but raging against the dying of the light.

The establishment doesn't want progressive policies, but the system is broken and all of the right solutions like a Green New Deal are there on the shelf where Bernie has helped put them. He's out of the spotlight right now, but he's working his ass off getting ready for a final act to push the country and the world in the right direction.

There are no moderate policy fixes to the problems the US faces. Biden is going to have to move left for his own political survival. He might not be interested in running for a second term, but he will not want to leave a legacy of a failed administration either.
 

[blumenkraft]

Yes, Bernie is doing a great job opening the Overton window for leftist ideas. It wasn't enough though.

Perhaps the next progressive leader should be someone whos able to also close it for bogus right-wing ideas?

AOC can do that quite efficiently IMHO.

[Phoenix]

Yes, Bernie is doing a great job opening the Overton window for leftist ideas. It wasn't enough though.

Perhaps the next progressive leader should be someone whos able to also close it for bogus right-wing ideas?

AOC can do that quite efficiently IMHO.

Bernie wasn't able to do enough to win the election and put himself in the position to be the person signing the necessary legislation into law.

I'm not giving up on Biden being pushed into a spot where he has no choice but to reluctantly sign some of the same things. At some point, shit just breaks and its even in the interests of the powerful to make sure the working class doesn't fail.

We're approaching 40 million unemployment claims since Covid broke out. If Democrats want minorities to continue voting for them, they ultimately have to deliver something for them.

Give us a couple of Cat 5  US landfalls this season before we have a Covid vaccine and then try to tell the American people you're going to revive the oil and gas industry. At some point, the pain threshold is surpassed and change is forced.

I love AOC. I don't quite see her as accumulating the gravitas necessary to get elected president by 2024 at age 35. But she will be whipping the youth participation. She'll be a factor in US politics if she stays with it.

[The Walrus]

Yes, Bernie is doing a great job opening the Overton window for leftist ideas. It wasn't enough though.

Perhaps the next progressive leader should be someone whos able to also close it for bogus right-wing ideas?

AOC can do that quite efficiently IMHO.

I do not think it had anything to do with Bernie, as he was more vocal than anyone in recent times.  The country, as a whole, is simple not inclined to side with leftist ideas.  A recent gallup poll shows those with a liberal bias as 26%.  While this is a significant increase over the past two decades, it is still lower than either conservatives or moderates. 

https://news.gallup.com/poll/245813/leans-conservative-liberals-keep-recent-gains.aspx

[Phoenix]

The country, as a whole, is simple not inclined to side with leftist ideas.  A recent gallup poll shows those with a liberal bias as 26%.  While this is a significant increase over the past two decades, it is still lower than either conservatives or moderates. 

https://news.gallup.com/poll/245813/leans-conservative-liberals-keep-recent-gains.aspx

"Leftist" and "liberal / moderate / consevative " are labels.

Bernie's actual policy proposals need to be evaluated in terms of their respective public opinion approvals. Medicare For All, $15 min wage, Green New Deal, Universal Pre-K, Family Leave, Marijuana Legalization, etc, etc, etc... all poll way better than the 26% figure from the Gallup poll which you chose to bolster your outlook.

Bernie won the first three states in the primary and was not disliked by the voters in state #4 of S. Carolina. But black voters were highly motivated by fear of a Trump re-election and the establishment (Obama behind the scenes) leveraged that with the powerful endorsement by Jim Clyburn to turn the tables.

If Obama and Clyburn pushed hard for Bernie, he would be the nominee.

There's a lot of sheeple in the US who place their trust in a handle of powerful people and corporate media which prevents people like Bernie from getting over the top. They preferred Bernie on policy over Biden but fear and institutional control were decisive.

[blumenkraft]

Bernie's actual policy proposals need to be evaluated in terms of their respective public opinion approvals. Medicare For All, $15 min wage, Green New Deal, Universal Pre-K, Family Leave, Marijuana Legalization, etc, etc, etc...

I was about to answer something along the same lines, Phoenix.

It's the policies, silly.

[Phoenix]

One of the fucked up things about America is that everything is so damn rigged.

The establishment politicians never have to face the tough questions because the corporate media is in on the skimming operation. Imagine Pelosi or McConnell is in an interview and the reporter asks "when was the last time a big donor didn't get what they want?"

More than half of the citizens want Bernie's policies but pretty much no one in corporate media is progressive.

We see what's going on in America today after another cop murder. We're going to get there with climate demonstrations in a couple of years.

[Freegrass]

One of the fucked up things about America is that everything is so damn rigged.

The establishment politicians never have to face the tough questions because the corporate media is in on the skimming operation. Imagine Pelosi or McConnell is in an interview and the reporter asks "when was the last time a big donor didn't get what they want?"

More than half of the citizens want Bernie's policies but pretty much no one in corporate media is progressive.

We see what's going on in America today after another cop murder. We're going to get there with climate demonstrations in a couple of years.

Heard about the mafia in the media lately?
They became smart, owned bitcoin, and have now taken control...

[blumenkraft]

They became smart, owned bitcoin, and have now taken control...

They became smart, owned bitcoin money, and have now taken control...

FIFY  (see how less scary that sounds all of the sudden?)

What has the mafia to do with the US progressive movement, FG?

[Phoenix]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=90G_QdxqqJs&feature=youtu.be

Cornel West spilling truth on CNN with Anderson Cooper. Correctly identifying the symptoms we see on the streets as a failure of capitalism and referring to America as a failed social experiment.

I so admire West for his willingness here to point out that black american's didn't see improvements in civil rights under a black president with a black attorney general and his acknowledgement that black politicians are generally co-opted by the neoliberal democratic alliance with big money.

[blumenkraft]

“We Need Class War, Not Culture War” ft. Dustin Guastella

[Phoenix]

Yes bl, let's focus on class and not fall for the divide and conquer kabuki show the msm gives us.

bernie rips mcconnell on covid relief

https://www.commondreams.org/news/2020/05/31/over-100000-dead-and-depression-level-unemployment-sanders-calls-mcconnells

aoc rips de blasio on nyc police brutality

https://thehill.com/homenews/house/500313-ocasio-cortez-rips-de-blasio-after-police-cruiser-drives-into-crowd-of?amp

(How awesome would aoc as mayor of NYC be? If she can succeed there, that's a resume builder for POTUS)

[Phoenix]

https://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2020/06/01/sanders-and-schumer-respond-cbo-estimate-pandemic-may-cause-16-trillion-long

Sanders and Schumer release joint statement reflecting need for greater economic stimulus.

Bernie's credibility with the people has earned him de facto co-leadership status for senate dems.

[Phoenix]

A big step up in visibility for a prominent progressive, Keith Ellison. He was Bernie's choice for DNC chair in 2017 and had the backing of Schumer before Obama interceded on behalf of Tom Perez. The former MN congressman is now attorney general of Minnesota and will be the face of the prosecution of the cops in the George Lloyd case.

Ellison is someone we should seriously consider among those who could succeed Sanders as the political leader of the American left. He is the real deal, is inspirational on the stump and a black man who could earn loads of visibility and credibility with a successful prosecution in this case.

Nature abhors a vacuum. Keith Ellison could be the next left hope for POTUS.

[Phoenix]

https://www.commondreams.org/news/2020/06/04/planet-stake-dnc-panel-pushes-biden-back-16-trillion-plan-fight-climate-crisis

No heavyweights here, but noteworthy that any panel established by the DNC is urging Biden to adopt Bernie's climate plan.

This is arguably the most important policy. It's certainly my #1.

[blumenkraft]

Dr Steph Kelton unpicks dangerous myths about our economy

[Phoenix]

Great interview by Bernie with the New Yorker. Talks about his discussions with Biden and Joe's willingness to move left on certain issues including the economy and climate.

https://www.newyorker.com/news/the-new-yorker-interview/bernie-sanders-is-not-done-fighting

I love his quote that "despair is not an option". There is a lot of cynical messaging that points in the direction of inevitable collapse and Bernie isn't having any of it. He's got those seven grand kids in mind every waking moment.

[Phoenix]

One of the leading progressive candidates for an additional seat in Congress, Cori Bush of Ferguson, MO had her car take a few bullets yesterday.

https://twitter.com/CoriBush/status/1270879026329063425?s=19

Ferguson was the site of prominent unrest several years ago in the wake of the shooting of Michael Brown.

[Phoenix]

The Kentucky primary is less than two weeks away and the Democratic primary provides a good litmus test of progressive strength with black progressive Charles Booker running against a well funded establishment backed Amy McGrath.

The winner goes on to face Moscow Mitch McConnell in the general election.

https://www.thenation.com/article/politics/charles-booker-beats-mitch/

the editorial board of the Louisville Courier-Journal announced on Wednesday. “To get there, we need political leaders with insight and vision, who understand the challenges of our times and are willing to put forth bold ideas and fight for everyday people. Voters in Kentucky and around the country deserve the chance to consider candidates who have strident beliefs and the courage to go beyond scripted, milquetoast politics.”

In addition to the Courier-Journal endorsement, the legislator just secured the backing of the state’s second-largest daily paper, the Lexington Herald-Leader, which wrote, “We understand that Booker is the underdog in this race; he has a steep climb to earn votes outside of his native Louisville, where he is well-known. But we believe this is a time for passion, not pragmatism. Charles Booker is the only one generating real excitement among young people and old. We believe he would move the state in the direction that Kentucky needs to go in the future so it can, at long last, move forward.”

[The Walrus]

While some pundits have claimed that McConnell is vulnerable, that may be rather optimistic.  Looking at his track record in Kentucky, and it is extensive, he has won re-election overwhelming each time, except in 2008, when he won by only 6%.  Hence, there is cause for optimism.  However, that was the last year that the Democratic presidential candidate received over 40% of the vote.  That number has been decreasing since.  Biden is unlikely to help him much.  The Democrats need to run a very strong campaign to defeat him. 

Of the 16 most competitive Senate races, fivethirtyeight rates it as the 2nd most likely Republican victory, surpassed only by John Cornyn of Texas.

https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/new-polls-and-new-candidates-are-giving-democrats-some-hope-of-flipping-the-senate/

[Phoenix]

While some pundits have claimed that McConnell is vulnerable, that may be rather optimistic. 

If Booker does not pull off the upset and beat McGrath in the primary, we will have an establishment Democrat vs. an establishment Gooper and the general election outcome will be irrelevant to this thread.

Let's see if the progressive can get over this first hump before we compare to McConnell

[Phoenix]

https://www.inquirer.com/news/nikil-saval-rick-krajewski-progressive-2020-pennsylvania-primary-harrisburg-20200616.html?outputType=amp

Berniecrats winning seats in the PA state legislature.

[Phoenix]

Progressive Jamaal Bowman is leading 30 year incumbent Elliot Engel by double digits heading into the upcoming NY primary. About 1/4 of voters still undecided.

https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/503128-engel-trails-primary-challenger-by-10-points-poll

Bowman has the Sanders / Warren endorsement while Engel has Hillary on his side.  The Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) has also endorsed Engel despite the fact that Bowman is black.

Let's hope Jamaal closes the deal like Marie Newman did in Chicago.

[Phoenix]

One poll showing Booker with an 8 point lead over McGrath !!

https://i.redd.it/tvsyt8g1qo551.png

Wonder what happens to the $15M McGrath has in her campaign coffers set aside for her general election battle with McConnell if she loses in the primary ??

[Phoenix]

Other Dem. senate primaries pitting a progressive against an establishment candidate.

Romanoff (progressive) v. Hickenlooper in Colorado. Winner will be favored to beat incumbent Cory Gardner (R).

https://www.coloradoan.com/story/news/2020/06/11/colorado-primary-election-senate-race-between-john-hickenlooper-andrew-romanoff/3172269001/

Also, Markey (incumbent progressive) vs. Kennedy (MA)

[Phoenix]

Another win for progressives....Target stores raise their minimum wage to $15 / hr.

The US min wage is $7.25 / hr.

https://www.commondreams.org/news/2020/06/17/unstoppable-movement-sanders-praises-grassroots-after-target-announces-15-minimum

[Phoenix]

Romanoff has cut what was once a 50 point defcit to 12 with a little less than two weeks to go.

Still an underdog, but progressives are at least making the establishment sweat and demonstrating where the future of the party resides.

https://coloradosun.com/2020/06/18/andrew-romanoff-john-hickenlooper-poll-senate-race-colorado/

[Phoenix]

Playboy runs a nice piece which highlights the efforts of Ro Khanna as well as AOC and Liz Warren.

https://www.playboy.com/read/ro-khanna-progressive-imagination

[Phoenix]

Attached is a short interview with Nancy Pelosi's progressive challenger Shahid Buttar and John Iodorola of The Young Turks.



Due to CA shifting to a jungle primary system in 2016, this is the first year in which Pelosi will square off against another Democrat in the general election in November.

Buttar's odds of actually beating Pelosi are extremely low. She has consistently topped 80% of the vote in her San Francisco district (where I lived in the late 80's !!).

The key will be how much of the vote Buttar can pull and what that might mean for challengers to her continuity as Speaker of the House. If Buttar can even grab a 1/3 of the votes, that might send a signal of weakness. After the election is over, people like AOC are going to have very limited incentive to toe the party line in favor of unity. They are going to fight for the Green New Deal like its a life and death issue... because it is.

Pelosi is an establishment figure through and through. Total obstacle to progress.

[Phoenix]

Romanoff's apocalyptic ad on climate change from last year. We need people who think like us to win.

https://coloradosun.com/2019/12/16/andrew-romanoff-apocalyptic-climate-change-campaign-video/

[Phoenix]

A summary of NY state legislative races from the progressive vs. establishment angle. Great reporting by Ryan Grim of the Intercept.

https://theintercept.com/2020/06/20/new-yok-progressives-down-ballot-races/