Obama’s Appointments Leave Progressives with a Hard Job in November

By Bill Bianchi

Back in September and October of 2008, a bunch of us from PDA-Illinois walked the back streets and overgrown lots of west Gary, Indiana to help elect a promising Democrat, Barack Obama, to the White House. Like tens of thousands across the country, we knocked on doors and asked potential voters to support Mr. Obama. We said, ‘after eight years of George Bush the country was headed in the wrong direction, and Obama would change that.”

Change, that was magic idea that everyone hoped for.

Now, two years later, as we approach another election season, I wonder how many of those who worked so hard for the president will feel like returning to those same skeptical voters to ask them, "please vote again for our guys?"  I know I’ll have a hard time just dragging my butt into the voting booth.  Read more »

Election Update, IL-15: Students Show Strong Support for Dr Gill

by Lorin M Klugman

Ed Remus Talking With Students
Ed Remus Talking With Students
The Champaign Urbana chapter of the College Democrats of America hosted PDA volunteers for Dr. David Gill on the campus "Quad Day" 8/22. "Quad Day" is an amazing event, held on the UI Urbana Champaign campus 'Quadrangle', where thousands and thousands of students gather to sign up for extra curricular activities.   Read more »

Is there a place for us in the Democratic Party?

Written by Lenny Brody

The recent remarks by President Obama’s Press Secretary Robert Gibbs about “liberal Democrats and others on the left” once again raises the question, “is there a place for progressives in the Democratic Party?” The Gibbs attack is not an off hand comment by someone having a bad day. Knowledgeable observers of the political process know that when a presidential press secretary says something it reflects the position of the administration.  Read more »

Dr David Gill's Race in Illinois-15 Takes Center Stage

By Lorin M Klugman

The most important election in 2010 is right here in Illinois: Dr. David Gill running for U.S. House of Representatives, 15th congressional distict.  Two words sum it up : Strong Advocate.

Dr Gill, as a member of Physicians for National Health Program (PNHP), is a proven advocate for social justice.  "Medicare for All" is one of the unfilled promises of Social Security. We need to fulfill that promise and strengthen Social Security. We need a social movement of every day folks. But we also need a strong voice in Congress.

Please come to the University of Illinois Champaign/Urbana campus on Sunday August 22 and help us register voters and volunteers. Sign up here.  Read more »

Daley's Re-election Unlikely as Huge Budget Deficit Announced

by Lorin M Klugman

The Wall Street Journal referred to the City of Chicago's $654.7 million deficit for 2011 as the "largest shortfall in its history". The same story mentions "Mayor Richard M. Daley, ... hasn't indicated whether he will run for a seventh term next year".

On July 20, 2010 Walter Jacobson reported that Daley may not run again.  Read more »

A Great Progressive Candidate For Congress - Dr. David Gill In His Own Words

By Pearl Korn 

Published by Huffington Post

In my last post (which you can read by clicking on this LINK) I wrote about and supported Dr. David Gill for Congress in the 15th Congressional District in Illinois, our President's home state. He challenges long-time incumbent Republican Tim Johnson, a 40-year professional politician who marches in lock step with his party.  Read more »

Anger Grows Over Mayor Daley and Chicago Teacher Firings

by Lorin M Klugman

Anger is increasing, as more bad news and law suits linked to Mayor Daley are announced. The latest news involves another victim wrongfully convicted through torture.  Michael Tillman named Mayor Daley in a civil rights law suite. This is the second victim to name Daley in the torture scandal. In the same week, Daley's "Education CEO" is carrying out firings of Chicago school teachers to pay for his own gigantic pay raise.   Read more »

Daley's Poll Numbers Dive -- Can Reform Come to Chicago

By Lorin M Klugman

Mayor Daley's support is in a steep decline. The big question is, can Chicagoans reform local government. Many believe replacing Richard Daley is key to ending the monopoly of Chicago's political machine and a return of local democracy.  Read more »

Where's Andy? And What's He Up to Now?

By Bill Bianchi, July 16, 2010

Andy Stern, that is.  Last April, the long-time head of Service Employees International Union (SEIU), who built his career on organizing working people to improve their standard of living by standing up to corporate America, abruptly resigned from his labor career. While Stern’s tenure was controversial, he was one of the few leaders who successfully reversed labor’s long membership slide. During his time in office, SEIU membership increased by 50%.  Then he quit.

Debt Commission today, Wall Street tomorrow?  Arguably the most successful union leader of the past two decades, just resigned, but where did he end up? Well, he’s sitting with a bunch of deficit hawks on Obama’s debt commission, but soon who knows, could Wall Street be his destination?   Read more »

Economic Refugees and Big Petroleum


The Status of Liberty depicts the "Mother of Exiles". A symbol of American values.

So what is an exile? An exile is a synonym for "refugee".

In February of 2008 hundreds of thousands of farmers came to Mexico City to protest the final provision of NAFTA (the North American Trade Agreement). NAFTA removed all tariffs on corn coming from the United States. US Farm Corporations have their products subsidized by US tax payers. Having wiped out much of small farmers in the US, the "free market" expanded in to Mexico.  Read more »