In a not-so-improbable dystopian future, forces loyal to fearless leader Donald Trump will have rounded up local labor leaders, only to be surprised to learn of a faction demanding a separate firing squad…
A breakaway group –the San Diego Working Families Council– led by deposed Labor Council President Mickey Kasparian includes seven local branches of some big-name unions.
Today, the San Diego Free Press offers up three perspectives of what this split means for local activists. [Read more…]
San Diego continues to be an activist powerhouse, with demonstrations, teach-ins and cultural events throughout the upcoming weeks. This past week’s actions in Coronado attracted national attention from the media and other activist organizations around the country.
In case you haven’t noticed, El Presidente is becoming a little more unhinged every day. I’m starting to think maybe the networks should just create a timeslot for his daily rants. Morning Meltdowns would be a good title, I think.
So what will you do? Check out this week’s Progressive Calendar listings [Read more…]
Nearly 400 activists with the network of 88 Indivisible-affiliated groups in Southern California took to the beach on Thursday, aiming to send a message to the Republican National Committee’s Spring Meeting at the Hotel Del Coronado.
Inside the building, it was business as usual for GOP delegates from around the country.
On the beach side of the luxury property, activists sought to drive home the message business as usual will include public protests, no matter where the GOP tries to meet.
They wanted to make it clear that the toxic policies and conduct of President Donald Trump will cost the party its majority in the House of Representatives in the 2018 midterm elections. [Read more…]
Given that today is “Root Canal Appreciation Day,” it seems appropriate to share some painful news coming out of Washington DC: President Donald Trump has signed an executive order setting up a commission to review election integrity.
ABC News reports senior administration officials saying Vice President Mike Pence and Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach will be Chair and Vice Chair of the ‘Presidential Commission on Election Integrity.’
As is true with so many actions announced by the administration, this executive order is based on a falsehood, offers up multiple opportunities for implementing a right-wing social agenda, and serves to flatter Donald Trump’s fragile ego. [Read more…]
In a world where up is down, right is wrong, and war is peace, the firing of FBI director James Comey by President Donald Trump for treating political opponent Hillary Clinton unfairly makes perfect sense.
In order for us to bend the arc of history towards justice, we cannot let this latest outrage pass unnoticed. There are things you as a citizen need to do.
The real question, re: Comey, is: Why now? Why not months ago? And the answer is: shit is about to hit the fan. The timing of the FBI director’s firing was no coincidence. [Read more…]
In cities from coast to coast, thousands of labor and immigrant rights activists took to the streets. The protests began locally with morning teach-ins at college campuses throughout San Diego County. Organizers say roughly 2000 students participated in events at City College, Mesa, Grossmont, Cuyamaca, and Miramar.
The afternoon included a kickoff rally at San Diego City College, followed by a march through downtown to the Federal Building for a second rally, a third march to Chicano Park in Barrio Logan and a final rally staged by Unión del Barrio.
In the North County, students from MiraCosta, Palomar, and Cal State San Marcos joined with community activists for a rally and march starting at Wildwood Park in Vista. [Read more…]
Here we go again. San Diegans are about to be told what’s best for them by the incumbent political class. We’ll soon see if elected officials can once again circumvent democracy’s vetting process.
County District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis has announced her retirement, effective July 7. Her anointed replacement, Deputy District Attorney Summer Stephan, is widely expected to be approved by the Board of Supervisors, following a cursory vetting process.
Or maybe not. A coalition of groups took out a full-page ad in Sunday’s paper urging the Supes to chose a candidate who signs a pledge not to run for District Attorney in 2018 and to open up the selection process for public scrutiny. [Read more…]
The hard work and dedication of activists all over the United States continues to provide a ray of hope in this era of darkness.
There are two really big days– April 29 & May 1–in this calendar, and I’ve worked hard to provide as much detail as I could find about activities for the multiple events associated with the People’s Climate March and May Day.
There will be no calendar published next Friday (May 5), hence the bigger than usual window for this week’s posting. [Read more…]
Two years after the Federal Communications Commission reclassified broadband internet providers as “common carriers” under Title II of the Communications Act Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai is proposing to reverse that decision.
From Ars Technica:
Pai’s speech was hosted by FreedomWorks, a group that Motherboard describes as being “perhaps best known for helping to launch the conservative Tea Party movement. (And also for producing a video depicting Hillary Clinton having sex with a giant panda. Seriously.)” FreedomWorks called last year’s court decision upholding the FCC’s net neutrality rules “a blow to Internet freedom.”
A press release making this announcement was titled “Restoring Internet freedom for all Americans.” Funny thing though, I simply don’t remember ‘losing’ anything having to do with the internet other than my privacy, which Pai and his freedom loving GOP buddies in Congress are already selling off. [Read more…]
The White House is leaning on Congress to take action on yet another version of a healthcare bill.
Negotiated by Rep. Mark Meadows (R-N.C.), chairman of the conservative House Freedom Caucus, and Rep. Tom MacArthur (R-N.J.), co-chairman of the centrist Tuesday Group, with help from the White House, this edition features further weakening of ObamaCare protections for people with pre-existing conditions.
The current requirement for health insurance to include basic coverage for maternity, prescription drugs, emergency services, lab tests, and etc., would be subject to review by the states. Women will be subject to higher rates than men. And if you get sick… well, let’s just say you can’t afford to actually use ZombieCare V.3.0. [Read more…]
The listicles are popping up all over the media world, hoping to capture the essence of what 100 days of Donald Trump in the White House means for the United States.
The New York Times headline reads “Trump Wants It Known: Grading 100 Days Is ‘Ridiculous’ (but His Were the Best).” The Hill is dutifully reporting on the new White House web page touting the first 100 days, making the claim “this President has enacted more legislation and signed more executive orders than any other president in over a half century,”
The executive order part is actually true, which is more than a little ironic coming from a man who spent much of last year whining about his predecessor’s actions in this arena. I’m old enough to remember when executive orders were equated with the mark of the devil in some quarters. And you can give Trump a ‘partially true’ on legislation only if you count bills undoing Obama executive orders. [Read more…]
The San Diego Unified School District Board of Trustees meeting this week may see an exercise in bombastic bigotry, thanks to articles published at Breitbart News and other outlets suggesting policies aimed at preventing bullying are actually implementing Sharia law.
An article in the Union-Tribune says the district is hearing complaints from people drawing misinformed conclusions stemming from the lead-in to the article, which strongly suggests the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) is a terrorist organization.
The local loonies of the right-wing persuasion are mighty worked up and looking to share their fear of the ‘other’ with anybody unfortunate enough to be at the district building on Tuesday evening. Today I’ll make the case for how they got to this particular unhappy place. [Read more…]
