CAF In The News

Money, ads give health care top political billing

Michael Goodwin — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 10:09:31 -0400

WASHINGTON (AP) - Health care is returning as a campaign issue, with special interest and advocacy groups preparing to spend at least $60 million to push politicians to embrace universal access to medical coverage.

The efforts, one by a coalition of labor and liberal groups and another by AARP, also include direct appeals to the presidential contenders and congressional candidates to change a system in which millions of people are without coverage.

A coalition of labor unions and Democratic-leaning organizations called Health Care for America Now on Tuesday was announcing a $40 million campaign to promote affordable health care coverage for all. The group is spending $1.5 million on a national cable ad, and print and Web advertising. It also plans to spend $25 million on advertising through the end of the year. The effort will concentrate on key congressional districts in 45 states, where the coalition also plans to deploy 100 organizers.

Patting the little ladies on the head

Rick Perlstein — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 09:23:21 -0400

John McCain weighs in on the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Restoration Act, which Isaiah pithily describes here, and demonstrates the utter inadequacy of E. coli conservatism to grasp, well, reality:

"I am all in favor of pay equity for women, but this kind of legislation, as is typical of what's being proposed by my friends on the other side of the aisle, opens us up to lawsuits for all kinds of problems," the expected GOP presidential nominee told reporters. "This is government playing a much, much greater role in the business of a private enterprise system."... "They need the education and training, particularly since more and more women are heads of their households, as much or more than anybody else," McCain said. "And it's hard for them to leave their families when they don't have somebody to take care of them.

Of course, as this document shows, average educational attainment has been higher for women than for men for ten years now. Read here for the definitive demonstration that, yes, women make less than men for the same jobs, and yes, the only possible way to explain that is discrimination.

Doesn't matter. The Senate's conservative minority just filibustered fair pay for women—or, as the AP laundered this shameful action, "killed the bill Wednesday night on a 56-42 vote that denied the measure the 60 votes needed to advance it to full debate and a vote."

The American Left: A Tale of Two Conferences

Terrance Heath — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 10:25:20 -0400

Take Back America 2008 was, as usual, rousing and inspirational. The keynote speeches that stood out for me were those given by Robert Borosage, co-director of the Campaign for America’s Future (the group that convenes the conference each year); Van Jones, a young and dynamic leader in the environmental movement; and Donna Edwards, the newly elected, soon-to-be, congresswoman from Maryland’s 4th district.

The Green-Collar Solution

Andrew Lara — Wed, 17 Oct 2007 14:02:18 -0400

The New York Times highlights the green initiatives taking place in Oakland, Calif. including the development of the Oakland Apollo Alliance, and its importance in boosting jobs and the economy for the working class.