Making the grade- the Carnival of Progressive Politics April 2010 edition

For the second time in a year, I'm humbled and proud to be featured in a political blog carnival - The April 2010 edition of the Carnival of Progressive Politics. Go over and check out some of the authors I've been featured with - there is some really great writing there, especially on immigration and civil liberties.

The immigration bill that is close to becoming Arizona law, a bill that would allow police officers to detain anyone they suspect of not being a U.S. citizen until they receive documentation, is an example of how ignorance—and its offspring, fear—engender prejudice and encourage regression.

Seth Freed Wessler, on the RaceWire blog, says the bill “suggests that immigration restrictionists who have relied on rhetoric about the threat of crime from immigrants are indeed not concerned with criminality, but rather with immigration itself.” That point reflects the belief of Rinku Sen, director of the Applied Reseach Center, in our 2009 interview about immigration policy. According to the Federation for American Immigration Reform, however, “Arizona is directly in the crossfire of the violent drug wars waging in Mexico and the state is the most popular point of entry for illegal aliens who come into the United States.” But is this the best way to deal with that problem?

The Houston chronicle accepts the climate crisis - why can't you?

Since today seems to be all about short, hopefully pithy posts, here's a stunner of an editorial from yesterday's Houston Chronicle (h/t Joe Romm):

As writer Elizabeth Kolbert points out in the current issue of the New Yorker, “The message from scientists at this point couldn't be clearer: the world's emissions trajectory is extremely dangerous. Goofball weathermen, Climategate, conspiracy theories — these are all a distraction from what's really happening.”

For those of us living in hurricane-vulnerable areas, keep in mind this ominous measurement: Sea surface temperatures in the Atlantic main development area for tropical storms last month were the warmest ever recorded for March, already reaching levels typical of late June. The conjunction of several climate patterns combined with ongoing overall warming of the world's oceans is thought to be the cause.

Despite all the spinning and hot air, the science is solid and global warming is a real, deadly serious concern. It's time to deal with it.

I couldn't agree more. See, even in oil producing states, like the one just east of Texas where I was raised, the effects of the climate crisis will be felt. If they aren't already. Better for both the economy and the environment to recognize them now, and get ahead of the curve, instead of having to play catch-up later, and in a more costly fashion. Of course, this day has been a long time coming, and we're still in a pitched battle against some dark forces.

Leadership in Washington -Compromise shouldn't be a dirty word

I've written a lot in this blog about government accountability - and especially the former Bush Administrations infamous disregard for the ideas and ideals of the public it claimed to serve. So it is with great interest that I read this today in the Washington Post:

That said, however, great leaders must also have their fingers on the pulse of their constituencies and be willing to reach out to the displeased among the ranks when necessary. While full policy reversals aren't advisable based solely on the public's whims, a healthy dialogue can often open leaders' eyes to viewpoints they haven't considered or options that were previously unseen. Because leaders often can't generate the results they seek without a broad base of support, they must always be attuned to the public sentiment to know when greater efforts at compromise or communication are required.

Now two things you should consider when reading this: first, the author was a political appointee in the George Bush '43 Administration. Second, he'd likely have been fired had he made this statement publicly back then. Both credentials give me pause, especially the second one. If this is really a deeply held core view of his, he should never have worked for the Bush White House.

Now having said that, let me say this - he is also 100% right, particularly about the listening and compromising part. Several of the other posts in the set make similar points, and I sincerely hope the Obama White House AND Republican leadership are reading this and taking it to heart. Otherwise, they will go down in history not as leaders, but a mere politicians, and our Nation will be poorer for it.

A small but important victory - civil charges rise from the ashes of the Great Recession

Reports are surfacing this morning that the Securities and Exchange Commission has leveled civil charges against Goldman Sachs for its CDO's that were a major part of the sub-prime mortgage securities driver from the credit bubble burst.

Sadly, these are not the sort of charges that send people to jail, and the fines that may ultimately result are not likely to cause Goldman to fold - much less fire anyone. But for now, at least, the media will be forced to use the term Fraud when talking about Goldman, and that brings a small measure of accountability to the story.

Finally.

American Political worries - both Parties will loose this year if nothing changes

Judging by this poll from Fox News, its going to be a rough election season for incumbents of both parties:

By a nearly 2 to 1 majority, Americans of all political views chose the Economy as their most important issues for the mid-term elections. Healthcare and Government Expansion - two of the battle cries of the Tea Party movement - came in so far in second that, taken together, they don't equal the percentage of those polled worried about the economy. Liberals' twin whipping posts of the Iraq and Afghan wars likewise nearly fell off the radar, and no one (except perhaps Ron Paul) seems worried about taxation when they think about voting these days.

So what does one make of all this, especially from a Liberal Progressive standpoint? First, if Democrats can't credibly show how they are protecting and working to restore jobs, they are toast. Period. And given healthcare's slide as a national driving issue, many Americans do not either see or believe the link between the recently signed healthcare "reform" law and economic growth. I suspect the later, because it has always been delivered by liberal leaning economists and politicians in a convoluted way.

Second, given that American do not appear to be worried about Taxes, terrorism, or Government Expansion, Democrats have a real opportunity to hit Republicans hard on each issue. Granted, on Deficits, Democrats are no better the Republicans were, but if they want to continue to hold the majority in the House and Senate, they have to remind voters why Republican ideas and policies in these areas are bad for the country. Bipartisanship has no place here.

Third, this poll clearly shows Republicans that hitting Democrats back for passing the Healthcare bill isn't good election strategy. It won't win them back voters, nor wil it translate into a majority in eithe rhouse of Congress. What they need is an economic-based election platform that focuses on 21st Century jobs, American innovation, and preventing another economic meltdown (yes, I'm suggesting that Republicans lead on regulatory changes instead of just trusting market forces).

Will any of this come to pass? Perhaps not, but if these number hold through out the summer, then James Carville's 20 year old words will still be ringing true - It's the Economy, Stupid!

The Tax Man Cometh - but not for you if you are a corportation

There is a great hew and cry this time of year about how much income tax federal employees owe - $962 Million according to one source. As a fed, who pays his taxes every year, in full and on time, that irks me.

But not as much as this:

HOUSTON -- As you work on your taxes this month, here's something to raise your hackles: Some of the world's biggest, most profitable corporations enjoy a far lower tax rate than you do--that is, if they pay taxes at all.

The most egregious example is General Electric ( GE - news - people ). Last year the conglomerate generated $10.3 billion in pretax income, but ended up owing nothing to Uncle Sam. In fact, it recorded a tax benefit of $1.1 billion.

Yes, you read that right - the largest most profitable company in the U.S. was owed a refund by the IRS of $1.1 Billion.

So, what my fellow federal employees owe in taxes is less then what we GAVE BACK to G.E. But solving the Nation's revenue stream is best done on my back, not G.E.'s. Hum, yeah, right.

The U.S. Government wants to kill one of our citizens

This, friends, Romans and Countrymen, is a sad day in U.S. History. For the first time, American 0fficials, speaking on that all hiding condition of anonymity, have confirmed that the U.S. has authorized the targeted killing of an American Citizen, because in the view of the Administration he represents the most severe kind of threat to our national security that he must be removed. Yes folks, the nation that claims it is such an exception in the modern world as to lecture the Afghani government on corruption (a government the last Administration installed and which we prop up), is now among the handful of nations that openly advocates the assassination of its citizens.

That fact should disgust each and every one of you, as it does me. and it should result in the ringing down of shame on the Obama White House. We have, of course, seen internal killings of opponents before - the practice was rampant in South American in the 1970's and 1980's. Israel is reported to routinely assassinate Palestinian leaders it considers a threat - often by rocketing their houses while they sleep surrounded by their families.

But we, of course, are not terrorists. And killing one of our citizens will keep us eternally safe because he's a very bad man.

To paraphrase Martin Miemoller:

First, I let them kill Muslims, because I was not a Muslim
Then I let them kill American Muslims, because I was not an American Muslim
Then I let them kill Americans whose politics I disagreed with, because I was not one of them
Then they came to kill me, and there was no one left to stop them.

Shame on us.