Working Life

   If policy was constructed by the people, not the wishes of the lobbyists and corporate interests, we would never see a so-called "free trade" deal pass Congress again. That’s pretty much the upshot of the 2008 elections–though, believe me, this fight ain’t over yet.     I would argue that the issue of trade […]

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   So much to say but…I’m going to be on CNBC this afternoon at 2:10 Eastern time to talk about labor’s prospects under an Obama Administration and, specfically, what to look for if the Employee Free Choice Act is passed. I’ll try to post the video clip later–if it exists.    UPDATE: here’s the link. […]

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   I sent the below around a couple of weeks ago and I’m sticking to it. It’s, of course, very optimistic–that’s the kind of guy I am–but feel free to comment yourselves. The upshot: Obama wins 390 Electoral votes Democratis end up with 58 Senate seats (net gain of 9–could mean after run-off in the […]

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  The dictionary defines "travesty" as "a debased, distorted, or grossly inferior imitation". That is what I think of when I think of Norm Coleman on the anniversary of the death of Paul Wellstone. This is a personal feeling but, in my mind, there is no Senate seat I want taken from the Republicans more […]

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   This is a modest observation that comes from an optimist–my friends say delusional optimist–that an Obama landslide is coming. Here’s the question: if it happens, will too many Democratic-inclined voters stay home in the three Western states and cost Democrats some close, important races?     A few initial thoughts: The Obama campaign, if […]

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   Look, in the middle of this economic crisis and financial meltdown, you have to wonder: why is this election close? The answer is: race. All those negative answers to questions about whether Barack Obama has enough experience, or can be commander-in-chief or…whatever you want to choose, boil down to certain people won’t vote for […]

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Pardon me for interrupting the great national debate–on lipstick, ads, earmarks, polls and other "crucial" issues–by inserting a modest suggestion: since we, the taxpayers, are now on the hook for hundreds of billions of dollars to bail out Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae (a lot more than the grand total of all earmarks in the […]

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   Throughout this election season, I’ve pointed out numerous times that the tide has shifted on trade, moving against so-called "free trade" and towards a trade policy that starts with the notion that trade is supposed to advance communities first, and corporations second. Believe me, I’m not saying the battle is over–far from it. But, […]

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   You might remember that last week, I mused about the corporate visibility at the Democratic Convention in Denver. This isn’t a small thing–do we think that those folks are ponying up six- and seven-figure contributions just out of civic pride? This isn’t a new subject. But, it’s worth continually hammering home.    So, I’ve […]

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   So, friends, here in Denver, I’ve finally gotten strapped to my chair after a very busy morning (okay, it was a groggy one given the…eh…number of margaritas that I was forced to consume last night–only in the service of talking to people to bring you the best info).   Yesterday, I attended two briefings […]

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