John Delloro, a Filipino American labor leader from Southern California and member of the AAA-Fund blog team, died of a heart attack yesterday. John also wrote extensively for the LA Progressive.
“Preserving Democracy” Theme of LA Media Event This Saturday
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Please join the LA Media Reform Group, California Common Cause, and the Urban & Environmental Policy Institute on March 27, 2010, at Occidental College for our third annual summit. Given the recent Supreme Court decision, the changing media landscape, and the importance of the upcoming election cycle, we’ve decided to make this year’s theme, “Preserving Democracy.”
Survey Results: Go Left, Young Man!
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Dick Price & Sharon Kyle: After riding a euphoric crest of progressive support into the White House last year, President Barack Obama faces a very different challenge going into 2010: Regaining the trust and support of his own political base.
100 Reasons Progressives Give Thanks
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So, as this Thanksgiving weekend comes to an end, we at the LA Progressive look back over the year and focus on the reasons we have to give thanks. There is quite a bit, especially compared to where we were last year.
Why We Support Marcy Winograd
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First, haven’t we all had our fill of tepid Democrats? Blue Dogs, Red State moderates, careerists, call them what you will; we don’t need any more Democrats in Congress who pose as up-from-the-grassroots voices for the common man, only to climb right in bed with the vested interests the moment they get to Washington.
Obama Brought the Word, But Will Congress Listen?
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For those of who believe, as we do, that the tepid healthcare reforms rising to the top right now will either be too weak to benefit Americans who need help the most or will benefit most the insurance companies and others who already profit handsomely by withholding life-giving care, this is the time to press forward universal healthcare options that will actually solve the country’s healthcare crisis.
How Bad Is America’s Healthcare Crisis?
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Drawn from a presentation Dr. Matt Hendrickson gave at a Single-Payer Healthcare forum given in Santa Monica last month, our LA Progressive survey was designed to underscore just how dire America’s healthcare system has become—and to give you a chance to test your knowledge and intuitions.
Mario Solis-Marich: Hope for Progressive Talk Radio
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While progressive talk radio may not attract the numbers Limbaugh attracts, there is hope on the horizon. One ray of hope is radio talk show host Mario Solis Marich. Recently, we were invited to do a spot on his show, the Mario Solis Marich Show on Progressive Talk Radio AM 1150 in Los Angeles.
How Bad Is America’s Healthcare Crisis?
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The questions for this survey were drawn from a presentation by Dr. Matt Hendrickson, founder of the Southern California Chapter of Physicians for National Healthcare Program, which we reported on in “A Long and Winding Road to Universal Healthcare.” Our recent “Healthcare Myths and Realities” is another good source of myth-busting facts. Correct answers are [...]
Healthcare in America
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This video was provided by Bill Moyer’s PBS Television show. It is available on YouTube. Here, Bill Moyer’s interviews Wendell Potter a former healthcare insurance executive. The interview is approximately 37 mins long. The following message was sent to the LA Progressive by a reader who calls himself jacksmith: We have the 37th worst quality [...]
Want Fair Elections?
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Change-Congress.org says – Special interests pump millions of dollars into elections, giving them more influence over our political system than the rest of us. Until we fix our broken campaign finance laws, these special interests will block real change on issue after issue. Especially as our nation faces an unprecedented economic crisis, now is the [...]
School to Prison Pipeline
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Public forum: Is There a School to Prison Pipeline at the Pasadena Unified School District? Soaring dropout rates, rising suspensions and expulsions, police on campus, overly harsh one-size-fits-all discipline policies, high poverty rates, court involvement and juvenile detention all suggest the pipeline to prison is present at the Pasadena Unified School District. Join us to [...]
How To Use Twitter
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Want to follow the LA Progressive on Twitter but don’t have a Twitter account? Follow these simple instructions. See you on Twitter!! –Dick and Sharon
Democracy Now Headlines May 22, 2009
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Amy Goodman of “Democracy Now” reads the headlines of the day. The topics covered are: Obama Backs Indefinite Jailing, Criticizes Bush Measures Cheney: Obama Policies Endanger US Former U.S. Soldier, Steve Green, Gets Life Sentence in Iraq Rape, Murder Case UN requests $500 million in aid to help 2 million people who have been displaced [...]
The Legacy of Torture: Story of the San Francisco Eight
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ACLU Pasadena Public Forum “Will we face the torture chambers in our cities as well as on Guantanamo?” Tuesday, May 12, 7 p.m. Neigbhorhood Church 301 North Orange Grove Boulevard Pasadena, California Hear two of the SF8 tell their story of torture and persecution over 37 years. The San Francisco 8, former members and associates [...]
Take the Survey
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As we reported during our workshop at Occidental College, our first-year goal was to create this online magazine or e-zine , recruit provocative writers, and develop an audience. Now that we’ve begun our second year of operation, our aim now is to improve both the content and presentation of this e-zine, use our newfound “political [...]
Help Bree Walker Get Back on the Air
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Bree Walker Sent This Note: Date: Mar 6, 2009 6:36 PM Subject: I NEED YOUR HELP! To all of my friends, I am writing to all of you because I REALLY NEED YOUR HELP! I rarely ever send out any mass emailings in fact this is the first one I can remember ever writing:) In [...]
Getting Ready for Our “Local Media for Social Change: A Southern California Regional Summit”
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About this time last year, Sharon and I were so taken with a media summit we attended at Caltech called “Local Media for Social Change” that we joined its organizing committee to help prepare for the next one, which is going to be held in two weeks, this time at Occidental College. We found that [...]
Renaissance in the Republican Party?
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The clock is ticking , unemployment is rising, foreclosures are up, and economists say we are at an all time low but the GOP continues to oppose the president on the passage of his stimulus package.
The Inauguration: “It’s Priceless. I Cried Out of Happiness. There Is Hope.”
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The two of us threw our support behind Barack Obama’s candidacy early on and are deeply gratified that this gifted, inspiring man will become our president Tuesday. America and the world will be immensely better with Barack Obama and Joe Biden at the helm—and with Michelle Obama as First Lady. We tear up typing the [...]
Yolie Flores Aguilar: Where Los Angeles Schools Go From Here
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Yolie Flores Aguilar, Los Angeles School Board member and long-time children’s advocate, thinks that the city’s school system will implode if something dramatic isn’t done—and soon. The ouster of Superintendent David Brewer is a regrettable, but necessary part of that change, in her view. Last weekend, we reported Brewer’s views on his ouster and the [...]
LAUSD Superintendent David Brewer Speaks After Ouster
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In his first public appearance since his contract was bought out by the Los Angeles Board of Education, Superintendent David Brewer said his ouster will only make a bad situation worse
Barack Obama’s Latest Appointees
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Some have looked at the list of Obama’s latest appointees and said that Obama has thrown his supporters under the bus. Others say his selections are nothing less than masterful. We, at the LA Progressive, have decided not to weigh in. . .yet. Instead of giving you our opinion, we’ve compiled a list of the [...]
Can You Feel The Ship Turning?
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In the run-up to Election Day, when Barack Obama’s history-making victory wasn’t exactly a sure thing, our local congressman urged persistence and optimism. “We’ve got a big ship there in Washington, with a lot of right-wing momentum pushing it forward,” said Rep. Xavier Becerra on a sultry August evening, speaking to our Democratic club here [...]
“Election Night, DO NOT CONCEDE: An Open Letter Signed By Gore Vidal & Others To Senator Obama & The Democratic Leadership”
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“Eight years is too much” is how Barack Obama explained why we must win the coming election and begin to restore America. But, even if we receive the most votes, will we win the election? DO NOT CONCEDE! Both of the last two elections were conceded by the Democratic presidential candidate. The 2004 election was [...]
Colin Powell Pulls No Punches
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Yesterday Barack Obama spoke at a rally in St. Louis, Missouri attracting 100,000 people. Awesome! And this morning on Meet the Press, Colin Powell gave an eloquent empassioned declaration of support for Barack Obama. Powell’s message is unequivocal. We must do all we can do to get out the vote. Dick and I are spending [...]
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What Was the Top News Story of 2009
Ten years ago, the story dominating the headlines was Y2K. In 2009, according to Yahoo, the story that dominated in terms of searches online was — wait for it — Michael Jackson’s death! Not the economic meltdown, not the healthcare debate, not even the inauguration of the first black president of the United States!