Pity the Corporate School Reformers It’s gotta’ be tough to be a corporate school reformer these days. Betsy DeVos is Education Secretary. Donald Trump is President. Their entire Koch Brothers-funded, ALEC-written agenda is national policy. But their stripes are showing – big time. The NAACP has turned against their school privatization schemes. The Journey for Justice Alliance is having none of it….
The Liberal Purity Problem
The Liberal Purity Problem There is a guy that goes to the bar around the corner from my house. We’ve only ever chatted a few times as I went out for drinks with my husband. I’ve always been polite. He looks like he could be a lumberjack with a thick black beard and always in plaid,…
Defending Healthcare is Defending Women – This Woman Included
Defending Healthcare is Defending Women – This Woman Included I thought I was invincible until I sat on a doctor’s table when I was 24 years old. I was there because I gained 50 pounds in a matter of months. Despite my strict diet and daily workouts, I continued gaining weight. I was frustrated and worried….
Pennsylvania Doesn’t Need a Severance Tax; It Needs a Ban on Fracking
Pennsylvania Doesn’t Need a Severance Tax; It Needs a Ban on Fracking The severance tax on shale gas extraction is on the table in Pennsylvania … again. Only this time, it has a chance of passing. The state Senate has already voted for a budget that includes a small severance tax in exchange for the gutting…
Pennsylvanians Reacts To Trump’s Transgender Military Ban
Pennsylvanians Reacts To Trump’s Transgender Military Ban In his latest daily barrage of tweets, President Donald Trump took aim at the LGBTQ community by announcing that all transgender individuals will not be allowed to serve “in any capacity” in the United States Armed Forces. The comments have drawn the ire of advocates and Americans nationwide, who…
The CBO And The Continued Fight For Integrity Under Trump
The CBO And The Continued Fight For Integrity Under Trump The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office has emerged as a prominent force in American democracy in recent weeks, delivering consequential blows to Republican lawmakers as the GOP-controlled Senate tries to pass a bill to dismantle the Affordable Care Act. While the numbers presented under these analyses speak…
Why Net Neutrality Is Important And Needs To Be Saved
Why Net Neutrality Is Important And Needs To Be Saved Net Neutrality is under attack. The big telecommunications companies (i.e., Verizon, Comcast, AT&T, etc.) are trying to quash the gains we the people made for a free and open Internet since the Federal Communications Commission ruled in favor of Net Neutrality in 2015. What Is Net…
Why Does Being Laid Off Feel Like I’ve Done Something Wrong?
Why Does Being Laid Off Feel Like I’ve Done Something Wrong? As a kid, I distinctly remember the day my stepfather was laid off from the Exide battery plant in Laureldale, PA. This situation put a great amount of stress on my family. I remember fights about money. I remember the money not being there. I…
Harrisburg Police Admits Sharing Pre-Protest Intelligence to a Fusion Center
Harrisburg Police Admits Sharing Pre-Protest Intelligence to a Fusion Center Officials from the Harrisburg Police Department presented their case to City Council last week for a $65,000 budget allocation to purchase riot gear. Police Chief Thomas Carter and Captains Deric Moody and Gabriel Olivera told the council that their current gear is over 20 years old and that…
Toomey Talks Health Care in TV Town Hall
Toomey Talks Health Care in TV Town Hall After months of facing pressure from constituents to host a town hall-style meeting, Pennsylvania Sen. Pat Toomey gave some ground and decided to compromise—hosting an invitation-only town hall from the comforts of ABC27 News studios in Harrisburg. Toomey opened the town hall by saying that he was looking…
Juicy Pumpkin Juice 