Editor Keith Pochick takes us on a very personal account of his family's journey through the American dream. A couple of months ago, I drove home to Appalachian Virginia to visit my dad. I don’t make it up there as often as I should, and for weeks he had been asking me to come up. … Continue reading Is it Too Late to Save the American Dream?
Democratic Candidate in MN-08, Kirsten Kennedy, on our moral imperative to welcome asylum seekers and enact open-hearted immigration policies. Last summer, my eldest daughter spent two and a half months working and interpreting in a refugee camp on the Greek island of Lesvos. Despite her short stay, her weekly emails and personal accounts opened our … Continue reading Give Us Your Tired, Your Poor
Two Broads Talking Politics talks with three Democratic nominees for Congress in Utah, all facing Republican incumbents: Shireen Ghorbani in the Utah 2nd district (00:35-21:30); James Courage Singer in the Utah 2rd district (22:20-45:55); and Lee Castillo in the Utah 1st district (46:26-1:04:07). Episode also available via podcatcher apps like Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, and Spotify, … Continue reading Podcast: Two Broads Talking Politics, Episode 96: The Utah Democrats
Public Citizen, Common Cause, Move On, March for Truth & other orgs are urging sundown vigils on July 18th, to defend democracy. On Monday, in what could turn out to be a turning point in his presidency, Donald Trump made it clear to the world that he values his special relationship with Vladimir Putin over … Continue reading Confront Corruption! Events Planned for Wednesday 7/18 in Portland & Across US
Your Action Call your senators and House representative at (202) 224-3121 and demand they publicly condemn Trump’s treason. Background At his Helsinki press conference today, Trump sided with Putin against the US intelligence community, the FBI, and the findings of two Congressional committees. He ranted about insane conspiracy theories while standing on stage with a murderous dictator … Continue reading Tell Congress to Loudly Oppose Trump’s Treason in Helsinki
Your Action Call your senators and House representative at (202) 224-3121 and urge them to pass the P.A.V.E. Act to require states to use paper ballots and conduct mandatory audits. Background In 2016, Russia conducted cyberattacks on state and county election infrastructure, breaching at least 39 state systems. Mueller’s most recent indictment highlights the depths of the … Continue reading Protect Our Elections: Call Congress and Tell Them to Pass the P.A.V.E. Act
Democratic Candidate Kirsten Kennedy (MN-08), on the problem of money in our politics, and what we should do about it. The majority of Americans want big money out of politics, so do I. We’ve wanted it for a very long time. Candidates since 2010 have pledged to end Citizens United, yet it’s still here. So … Continue reading Money is as Money Does: The Catch-22 of Big Money in Politics
Two Broads Talking Politics talks with Sean Casten, respected scientist, clean energy entrepreneur, author, and Democratic nominee for Congress in the Illinois 6th district, a district Hillary Clinton won by 7 points in 2016. They talk climate change, government regulation, immigration reform, and the unpopularity of the Republican incumbent. Episode also available via podcatcher apps … Continue reading PODCAST: Two Broads Talking Politics, Episode 95: Sean Casten
I am Ken Mejia-Beal, a proud member of the LGBT community, a black man, and an American citizen. Although I am a citizen, America has not shown me the kind of love that others might expect. My life, and the life of my people, has been one of constant struggle. I read article after article … Continue reading Chronicles of an Outsider
My name is Justin DeWitt and this is the story of the land I love and why I’m taking a stand on it for the love of what I believe to be true. I am not a politician. I am a surveyor. And as I surveyor I know floodplains can’t be lobbied into not flooding. … Continue reading WATCH: The Land I Love
DemWritePress Contributor J.L. Whitehead, on how Donald Trump uses anger to keep his base in lock-step. In the year following the election of the 45th president of the United States, I frequently wondered why he held so many campaign rallies. Why did he feel the need to continue to campaign even after he claimed the … Continue reading The Blind Rage of Trump Supporters
Trump's steep tariffs risk $83 billion in revenue for Louisiana businesses. Democrat Justin Dewitt will defend the people of LA-06. The growing Trade War hurts everyone, but Louisiana most of all. Steep tariffs on steel and aluminum now threaten thousands of working and middle class jobs at ports across Louisiana, putting at risk more than … Continue reading I’m Fighting Alongside Louisiana’s Working Class
Associate Editor Keith Pochick offers some critical planks for a Dem platform that would frame the party's values. “If there must be trouble, let it be in my day, that my child may have peace.” -- Thomas Paine. The 2018 midterms are rapidly approaching and Democratic enthusiasm is higher than most of us can ever … Continue reading Creating A Strong, Cohesive Democratic Platform
When did our message of #KeepFamiliesTogether and #FamiliesBelongTogether get hijacked by #AbolishICE? More importantly, in this era of Kremlin-based strategic electoral propaganda, where did it come from? Frankly, there is no way to know for sure, but Senator Elizabeth Warren & Senator Kristen Gillibrand - both of whom are running for re-election in 2018 and … Continue reading “Abolish ICE” in Deep-Blue America Sounds Like “Open Borders” Elsewhere.
Democratic Candidate Brett Pransky (OH-77) explains why moral appeals won't work with Trump: he values political wins over human life. Before we begin, I’d like to ask a small favor. Reach into your pocket, a desk drawer, or that cup we all keep in our cars, and grab a quarter. Look at it. Both sides. … Continue reading Transactional Humanity
I knew from an early age what made me different. I knew, too, how it could impact my future when I watched my home state pass a constitutional amendment saying I couldn’t get married. I knew, also, what needed to change so my love would be accepted and treated fairly. Since watching that wave of … Continue reading Being a Gay Democrat in the South
Medical volunteer Ashtyn Tayler went to the Texas border to offer care for asylum seekers being held in CBP detention. Here is her first-hand account of what she saw. Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to … Continue reading They Came for Refuge, but Received No Mercy: A Report from the US Border
Your Action: Call your senators at (202) 224-3121 and ask them to vote 'NO' on the nomination of Brian Benczkowski to head the Department of Justice's Criminal Division. Background Brian Benczkowski is the most dangerous Trump nomination you've never heard of. The Senate is expected to vote next week on his nomination to head the … Continue reading Urgent: Protect Mueller’s TrumpRussia Probe Today
Democrats have to thread the needle by both acknowledging past failures and unifying to preserve and protect American democracy from Trumpism. A debate has been unfolding in the Resistance. It's a debate we’ve avoided, but one we've needed for a while, because wave elections, like the one we need to put this country back on … Continue reading The Party of Inclusion
A Pennsylvania legislator took money from a PAC, then crafted legislation to benefit them while trumpeting their cause. We need daylight on this. Eagle-eyed readers may have noticed Republican state Rep. Thomas Murt’s May 20 opinion piece titled “Mail order orthodontics on the rise.” In this column, Rep. Murt outlined the reasons that he believes mail-order braces … Continue reading How PAC Contributions Can Influence Legislation
Kirsten Kennedy, Democratic nominee in Minnesota's 8th District, shares her thoughts on America's winding path, and the promise of tomorrow. The Fourth of July is always a special time in our home. Not only is it a day to celebrate our nation, but also a day to celebrate our youngest son’s birth (born during a … Continue reading 4th of July Reflection: We Can Do Better
Russian journalist Kseniya Kirillova draws direct comparisons between the behaviors and propaganda strategies of Trump and Putin. This piece was originally published in Euromaiden Press, and reprinted with permission of the author. While analyzing all that is happening today in the United States, I’ve often noticed the striking similarity between the behavior and propaganda of … Continue reading The Propaganda Schemes of TrumpPutinism
Catherine Krantz, US House Candidate in TX-04, shares what she's hearing on the trail: Texas is ready for legalization. Cannabis is the most commonly used drug in the world. 150 million users worldwide according to the World Health Organization. In Town Halls all across northeast Texas, Texans of all kinds ask me about legalizing cannabis. … Continue reading Legalizing Marijuana in Texas: Shockingly Non-Controversial
On our nation’s birthday, I openly pledge my intention to engage in an enduring fight for the ideals that our country was founded on, in support of future generations of Americans. As was the case for many Americans, the election of Donald J Trump transformed my understanding of this country. I was brought up in … Continue reading My Pledge of Allegiance to the America of Tomorrow
Today, on our nation's birthday, I’m releasing my plan and priorities for Minnesota’s 8th Congressional District It’s never easy to pick the primary concerns you’re going to work on in Congress, and we certainly aren’t dismissing any other important issues. But all roads to a better district, state, and nation have to start somewhere, and … Continue reading My Priorities for Minnesota’s 8th District and America
America is a majestic ship, constructed in the late 1700s ― worn-in, but still seaworthy. We (the passengers) co-own the vessel and hire the crew. For the most part, we agree on certain things: people should have a right to live peacefully; we should come together in times of distress and when our values are … Continue reading Our Sinking Ship of State: A Metaphor
But do postcards motivate voters? And how do ‘postcarders’ stay on the right side of FEC rules? DWP writer Marcy Miroff Rothenberg explores... It began modestly in early 2017, when Americans who were opposed to the nominations of Jeff Sessions as U.S. Attorney General and Betsy DeVos as Secretary of Education answered a plea from … Continue reading Old is New Again, as Activists Use Handwritten Postcards For Voter Outreach
Following what has become a disturbing pattern, the Republican-led Pennsylvania Legislature recently approved legislation that bans a woman from obtaining an abortion solely based on a determination that the fetus is diagnosed with Down Syndrome. The vote on the bill (HB2050) sponsored by House Speaker Mike Turzai, R-Allegheny, not only came without public hearings or any … Continue reading Pennsylvania’s Proposed Down Syndrome Abortion Ban is an Abuse of Power
Ohio's 12th District has been held by a Republican since 1983. Representative Patrick Tiberi's retirement has opened up the seat for the first time in 18 years and, this time, Democrat Danny O'Connor is giving the GOP some real competition - shifting the district from Safe Republican to Toss Up with a Cook PVI of … Continue reading 8/7 SPECIAL ELECTION: Ohio Can Flip the 12th with Danny O’Connor
Kseniya Kirillova, now living in California, is on Putin’s hit list. In a rare informal interview, the Russian dissident journalist and expert on Russian propaganda and disinformation tells the The Loyal Opposition how Russia changed before her eyes, the murder of her editor and friend by government agents, Russian propaganda both within Russia and how … Continue reading 10 Questions with Russian Journalist & Disinformation Expert Kseniya Kirillova
This is high-stakes political chess. Mueller, the 2018 elections, the preservation of democracy, and even impeachment are all factors in a Democratic response strategy to Trump's SCOTUS pick. Donald Trump got a huge political win when Justice Anthony Kennedy announced his retirement last week. As soon as the news came out, Democrats everywhere let out … Continue reading Trump Already Won on SCOTUS, but Democrats Can Win the War
Kirsten Kennedy is a Democratic hopeful for the open seat in Minnesota's 8th Congressional District. The primary will be held on August 14th. Hi... my name is Kirsten Kennedy and I am running to be the first Congresswoman from Minnesota's 8th Congressional District. Minnesota's 8th is a beautiful part of our great state - it … Continue reading Hi. I’m Kirsten Kennedy, and I’m Running for Congress.
From the birther lie to the Central Park Five, J.L. Whitehead discusses Trump's lifelong assault on people of color that we see manifesting in his presidency Sometimes I lie awake at night wondering where we went wrong as a nation. I think about how we wound up so polarized; how tribalism has become the new … Continue reading Trump’s War on People of Color
During the 2018 midterm elections, Democrats could easily entangle themselves in the never-ending web of Trump ethical scandals, trying to pin their Republican opponents down through "guilt by association". Every day, the President dishonors the office he holds, prompting public outcry – as well as outraged responses from Democratic lawmakers and Democrats running for office. … Continue reading To Flip Congress, Democratic Candidates Need to Focus on Local Issues
Daryl Boling, candidate for the PA State House (D-152), shares his eloquent, no-nonsense plan for curbing gun violence in America. In the wake of the Parkland shooting — and the subsequent shaking of our nation’s ethical compass for gun safety, particularly as it guides us toward better protection of our children and families — it is poignant and telling … Continue reading And the Children Will Lead Them All…
The event will feature an "Activism Fair" at 10am with activities for children & voter registration, followed by speeches and a rally at 11am. The last weekend in June is a busy one in Portland, so finding a location for the local #FamiliesBelongTogether rally wasn't easy. Organizers doggedly pursued any lead they could find, and … Continue reading Thousands Anticipated at Portland’s “Families Belong Together” Rally on Saturday (6/30)
OH-02 Democratic nominee Jill Schiller shines a light on her opponent's tacit approval of the Trump policy that led to the separation of children and parents. (Originally published in the Chillicothe Gazette, 6/22/18) Like so many Americans, I have been appalled by images of children being rounded up along our southern border and separated from … Continue reading Wenstrup Failed Ohioans by Looking the Other Way on “Zero Tolerance”
CA-25 Democrats end a competitive primary by vowing to unite behind Katie Hill, against Trump rubber-stamp Steve Knight. If there’s one good thing to come out of the moral, ethical, diplomatic and policy disaster that is the Donald Trump presidency, it’s that grassroots Democrats seem determined not to let a Hillary-versus-Bernie battle to the death … Continue reading California Democrats Unite To Win
Lawyer and Democratic Candidate Sharice Davids (KS-03) explains why turning away domestic and gang violence victims flies in the face of our founding ideals Every year, thousands of immigrants, asylum seekers, and migrants assume great hardships to find safety in America. They choose our country, because they see the United States as a land of justice, … Continue reading Trump’s Policy Toward Asylum-Seekers is Immoral and Un-American
Recently, the Trump administration dismissed every member of the Presidential Advisory Council on HIV and AIDS, and HIV/AIDS research has been halted. Trump has made it clear throughout his life how he feels about persons with HIV/AIDS. In the ‘80s, Trump became associates with the infamously ruthless and closeted Roy Cohn. Cohn stated at Trump’s … Continue reading HIV/AIDS and the Right-Wing Republican Agenda
Courageous followership requires holding leaders accountable while actively supporting their growth and effectiveness. Those of us who have specialized in developing future leaders often discuss how they find the courage to lead and enact social change. But, we rarely mention how people can develop the courage to follow. Not everyone has a desire to lead, … Continue reading Developing the Courage to Follow
Democrat Mike Siegel means business. Today he announces a new CROWDPAC effort aimed at igniting young voters & "reclaiming" TX-10 from Michael McCaul. According to Cook Political Report, Texas' 10th Congressional District has a Partisan Voting Index rating of R+9, meaning that the district is roughly 9 points to the right of the general electorate. … Continue reading “Let’s Clean House”
Teacher and activist Nicholas Ferroni speaks with Keith Pochick about the history and importance of organized labor in the US. Today, DemWritePress is joined by Nicholas Ferroni, a high-school history teacher, outspoken feminist, and advocate for Democratic ideals. Mr. Ferroni is a high school teacher and nationally recognized social activist who educates, mentors, and inspires students … Continue reading The American Labor Movement, Collective Bargaining & Education
Peter Joffrion, Democratic Nominee in Alabama's 5th Congressional District, on why he's the candidate of the people that Alabamians need. An aging cohort of North Alabama workers are worried about their ability to retire. Empty factories are scattered across our district’s rural areas. Families are dodging bankruptcy due to the mounting costs of medical bills … Continue reading North Alabama Deserves Better
Najaah Daniels, Campaign Manager for NV-04 candidate Pat Spearman (D), reflects on Spearman's strength & readiness to lead. For·ti·tude: courage in pain or adversity. My commitment to public service began 15 years ago. Although 10 years old at the time, I experienced intense tribulation. I have vivid memories of trips to battered women’s shelters, methadone … Continue reading Democrat Pat Spearman Embodies Fortitude Beyond Fear
Writer J.L. Whitehead shares how his perception of America has shifted as a black man in the Age of Trump. In 2012, my husband and I purchased our first home together in a quiet, tree-lined residential neighborhood in New Jersey. We were welcomed with warm wishes and congratulatory statements by our neighbors, complete with gifts … Continue reading Being a Person of Color in Trump’s America
Eight states will identify nominees across 85 US House races on Tuesday, 6/5. Here's what to watch for. One-fifth of all House races across the country will nominate Democratic and Republican standard-bearers this Tuesday, in the biggest 2018 election prior to November 6th. Of the 85 races where nominations are up for grabs, 30 of … Continue reading June 5th is 2018’s Super Tuesday. Here are the Races to Watch.
HOW TRUMP AND THE GOP ARE WORKING TO MAKE WOMEN’S LIVES WORSE AT WORK. PART OF OUR SERIES – THE GOP CON. I recently had to document for a male friend (who I consider politically savvy) that, yes, it is a factual truth that women who possess the same education, skills, experience and qualifications do … Continue reading The Gender Wage Gap May Only Get Worse in Trump’s America
Harley Rouda has earned an avalanche of endorsements - everyone from the local Indivisible chapter to national progressive organizations.California’s 48th Congressional District has been the source of drama on the left this election cycle, with reports of “infighting” between the camps of two contenders – businessman Harley Rouda and stem cell scientist Hans Keirstead. These … Continue reading In the Battle for Endorsements, Rouda Trounces Keirstead in CA-48
I'm Sharice Davids, and I'm running for US Congress to unseat Kevin Yoder in Kansas' 3rd District. Here's why I'm going to win. I don’t look like your typical Congressman. But your typical Congressman doesn’t look like America. When I look at our current Congressional leadership, I see a homogeneous group of mostly wealthy, mostly … Continue reading I’m in it to Win it. Join Me.
