Oil: Simple arithmetic
An average family is likely to spend an extra $750 this year on gasoline, compared with last year. My oil company has informed me it will cost $3,795 to heat my house this coming winter — three times the cost a few years ago. Cash-strapped local governments are trying to figure out how they will afford to operate police cars and heat schools.
Congreso joins election push
LOS ANGELES – More than 1,500 Latino public officials, civic, labor rights and community leaders and activists from 20 states participated in the third annual National Latino Congreso here July 18-20. Delegates reaffirmed a progressive Latino agenda and a drive to bring out 10 million Latino voters to help change the direction of the country in the 2008 elections.
Grassroots politics vs. right-wing money
ST LOUIS – “This is a war of attrition,” said Glenn Burliegh, campaign coordinator for Robin Wright-Jones for state senate. “To win, we have to work harder, fight longer and overcome more obstacles than our opposition. But, we can do it.”
Listening to America from coast to coast
The Barack Obama campaign’s nine day “Listening to America” project concluded July 27 after thousands of people gathered in at least 1,300 meetings to make recommendations for the 2008 Democratic platform.
Green electricity by 2018?
In a dramatic speech recently, Al Gore upped the ante in the debate over oil prices, the economy and climate change. As Republicans tried to sell the public on handing over more public land to Big Oil drilling, Gore challenged the nation to take an immediate, giant step away from fossil fuels by producing all electricity from renewable, carbon-free energy sources within 10 years. Currently about 75 percent of our electricity is produced by burning coal and natural gas, spewing global warming carbon into the atmosphere.
The genius of Ewan MacColl, lifelong artist & activist
Ewan MacColl is best known as the writer of the Grammy-winning “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face,” the love song he wrote for his wife and musical partner, Peggy Seeger.
Challenging the Christian rights crusade
The Christian right claims that in speaking out against gay rights it only adheres to Biblical orthodoxy. After all, the Bible says that homosexuality is wrong, doesn’t it? Daniel Karslake’s persuasive documentary “For The Bible Tells Me So” begs to differ, arguing that the religious right’s hatred of homosexuality is based on a flawed interpretation of the Bible.
This Jokers no joke
Heath Ledger as the “Joker” in “The Dark Night” has many speculating he may win an Academy Award posthumously for the role.
Fearing voter wrath, GOPers buck Bush on Medicare
Sen. Edward Kennedy’s appearance in the Senate recently, in the midst of his personal battle against brain cancer, to break a Republican filibuster against a bill to save Medicare will go down in history. Days later, on July 15, as the result of a 383-41 congressional vote to override a Bush veto the progressive measure became law.
Obama trip spotlights new direction for U.S. foreign policy
Barack Obama appeared to have scored a major success in projecting “commander-in-chief” ability and foreign policy savvy in his visits to Afghanistan and Iraq last week, and continued that path as he traveled to Jordan, Israel, the West Bank and then on to Western Europe.
