Illinois House moves to abolish death penalty
CHICAGO - In a landmark vote Jan. 6, the Illinois House passed a measure to abolish the death penalty in the state.
“Show-Me Solutions” are no solution, Missouri lawmaker says
Missouri's new Republican House leader declared a Republican mandate for a "change in the culture of how we operate," but a freshman lawmaker thinks otherwise.
Republicans playing with fire on immigration, Latinos say
Republicans are pushing anti-immigrant bills in states across the country, spurring anger among Latinos, who are a major voting bloc.
Coalition urges filibuster reforms in new Senate session
A coalition of progressive organizations, Fix the Senate Now, is calling for filibuster reform.
Oregon workers petition for jobs, safety net
With the jobless rate in the Rose City at 10.6 percent or 38,402 workers unemployed, the labor movement and its allies are fed up and fighting back.
Jean Quan becomes first Asian American woman to lead major U.S. city
In a ceremony marking several "firsts," Jean Quan, a former labor organizer and school board and city council member, was inaugurated Oakland's 49th mayor Jan. 3.
Banning ethnic studies in Arizona is wrong!
A new draconian law in Arizona went into effect banning classes statewide, k-12, that promote the teachings of civil rights leaders such as Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr. and Cesar Chavez.
Texans face tough fights
With their two-thirds GOP majority in the Texas House, the right wing hopes to curtail the right of Texas workers to join unions.
Food safety at risk with Republican slashes
Republican plans to cut taxes for the rich and social spending for working families may threaten food safety, say supporters of a law passed in the lame duck session of Congress and signed into law this week by President Obama.
Scott sisters freed!
Jamie and Gladys Scott received the news on December 29 that their 16-year prison ordeal was over at last: Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour commuted their double-life sentences and ordered them out of prison. They were originally accused of having taken part in an $11 robbery!
