Progressives

New Progressive Group Aims To Close The Talent Gap Between Left And Right

Brian Beutler | March 30, 2011, 1:56PM

Mark Begich (D-AK)

This winter, progressives and elected Democrats in states across the country found themselves blindsided by a coordinated wave of conservative legislation. The policies themselves were tailor-made to both advance right-leaning policy objectives, and undermine the electoral hopes of the Democratic Party: union-busting, voter ID laws, tort reforms.

Despite high unemployment, and a public clamoring for jobs, these political measures popped up in just about every state where the GOP took control of part or all of government after the 2010 midterm romp -- the ideas themselves were drafted and circulated by a network of conservative groups, and advanced by a crop of politicians that has been nurtured by the movement for years.

Looking forward, progressives want a piece of that action.

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Labor

Progressive Leaders Press Obama To Use Bully Pulpit In Public Worker Fight

Brian Beutler | February 24, 2011, 1:48PM

Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-AZ)

Leading progressives in the Democratic party are pressing President Obama to get more involved in the fight over public worker rights playing out in Wisconsin and other states across the country.

Obama has publicly sided with state and local government employees against laws meant to crush their right to collectively bargain. But his political shop has run hot and cold on the question of involving him more publicly in the protests.

The co-chairs of the Congressional Progressive Caucus yesterday both called on him to speak out more loudly -- or even join the protesters in Wisconsin.

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Progressives

Howard Dean: The 'State Of The Progressive Movement' Is Strong

Evan McMorris-Santoro | January 20, 2011, 5:25PM

Former DNC Chairman Howard Dean.

Republicans may be enjoying their ascendancy and critics may be suggesting the President Obama is tilting to the right along with them, but former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean says the "the State of the Progressive Movement is strong."

In a long letter sent to members of Democracy For America -- the progressive group that operates out of Dean's 2004 presidential headquarters in Vermont -- Dean opines on the state of the left after a year that saw many setbacks for progressives, from the death of the public option to the Republicans' November electoral sweep.

"The next few years aren't going to be easy either," Dean writes. "It's going to be a fight to stop right-wing Republicans from rolling back progress and forcing gridlock in Congress."

Despite the progressive critics of Obama, Dean makes it clear that he's fully behind Obama -- and that Obama's cause is a progressive one.

"We'll need to work harder than ever to accomplish real change and reelect President Obama in 2012," Dean writes. "But we've never been afraid of hard work."

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Barack Obama

After 'Tough Week,' Progressive Advocate Says Obama Is Still The Left's Man

Evan McMorris-Santoro | December 15, 2010, 10:15AM

President Barack Obama

Despite the tax cut deal they hate, progressive forces will be on the fighting lines for President Obama in 2012. That's the word from Democracy For America, the progressive advocacy PAC forged from the remnants of Howard Dean's 2004 bid for the Democratic presidential nomination.

In a wide-ranging interview Friday, DFA communications director Levana Layendecker discussed the ways Obama has hurt progressives over the past couple weeks. But she said that despite it all, the left will still stand by the man they backed in 2008 when he runs again in 2012.

The comments echoed those from Dean himself, who was briefly mentioned as a possible primary opponent for Obama by liberals angered by the tax cut deal's two-year extension of the Bush cuts on the highest incomes. Dean has said he won't run against Obama in a primary and that he doesn't expect anyone else will, either.

But if they don't primary him, will progressives just stay home, leaving Obama without an important part of his activist base? Layendecker says no. They may be mad at him now, sure. But the liberals are coming home to Obama.

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Social Security

Sestak Joins Pledge To Oppose Social Security Cuts

Brian Beutler | October 20, 2010, 9:18AM

Rep. Joe Sestak (D-PA)

Senate candidate Rep. Joe Sestak (D-PA) is the latest to join the progressive petition opposing any cuts to Social Security.

"Joe joined the statement at SocialSecurityProtectors.com and opposes any effort that would not maintain present benefits," his spokesman says. "We know that two-thirds of retirees rely on Social Security for most of their retirement income and the system can be protected without risking seniors' retirement savings in the stock market. As one example of how to address solvency without harming current benefits, a return to the tax rates of the Clinton era (when we created 23 million jobs) for the top two percent of earners - the wealthiest of Americans who received the majority of the tax cuts of the Bush era (when we created zero net jobs) - would cover Social Security's shortfall over the next 75 years."

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2010 elections

Rough Road Ahead: November Looms As Progressives Question Priorities (VIDEO)

Christina Bellantoni | July 27, 2010, 9:18AM

A donkey on a long road winding into the horizon.

There's no doubt about it, things aren't looking good for November for the Democratic party. It's way too early to know if they will lose the House, but there is broad agreement that 100 days from now, there will be losses and Democratic numbers in Congress will dwindle.

On the ground in Las Vegas for the last several days, TPM took the temperature of Netroots Nation activists, the candidates courting them for dollars and door-knocking and the official party operatives who need progressives engaged if they want to prevent a total wipeout this fall. Most campaign types sounded hopeful notes that it won't be as bad in the end as it looks now, and there seems to be broad agreement that, if the races are put into the context of the idea that Democrats move forward and the Republicans want to take you back to the Bush era, they might just stave off the worst of the losses.

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Netroots Nation

Obama In Surprise Message To Netroots: 'Consider What We've Accomplished' (VIDEO)

Christina Bellantoni | July 24, 2010, 12:22PM

President Barack Obama

Las Vegas -- President Obama greeted progressive activists and liberal bloggers this morning via video message, telling the group during the final full day of Netroots Nation that he gets their frustration that "change hasn't come fast enough."

"I hope you take a moment to consider all we've accomplished so far," Obama said. Then the pre-recorded video showed a segment from MSNBC's Rachel Maddow rattling off the administration's achievements.

Obama promised, "we're not done." He said that the repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell is in the works and touted his own plan to draw down 90,000 troops from Iraq.

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Progressive Community

Ed Schultz Slams White House As Afraid Of Fox News (VIDEO)

Christina Bellantoni | July 23, 2010, 2:12AM

MSNBC anchor Ed Schultz.

Las Vegas -- MSNBC's Ed Schultz tonight slammed President Obama's White House for its handling of the Shirley Sherrod debacle, suggesting that Obama and his team are afraid of Fox News and don't use progressive media enough.

Speaking to a roaring opening night crowd at Netroots Nation at the Rio casino here, Schultz cursed through a spirited critique of Obama. Schultz pointed to the camera and said he was glad the speech was being recorded and wanted the White House to hear his message. Schultz also leveled insults at conservative Democratic Sens. Blanche Lincoln (AR), Ben Nelson (NE) and Mary Landrieu (LA), along with Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT), who the netroots helped boot from the party in 2006. Schultz said he didn't care if Democratic Senators boycott his show because he doesn't need them for ratings. He also said that MSNBC "did a hell of a job fighting for health care."

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Progressives

Poll: Majority Of Americans Not Quite Sure What 'Progressive' Means

Thomas Rhiel | July 12, 2010, 11:28AM

For years, pundits and politicians on the left have been calling themselves "progressives" to avoid the apparent stigma of the word "liberal." But a USA Today/Gallup poll released today indicates that a majority of Americans still aren't sure what "progressive" really means.

According to the poll, 54% percent of adults are unsure if the word "progressive" describes their political views. Fifty-seven percent of self-identified liberals, 65% of moderates, and 45% of conservatives just don't know if the word aptly characterizes their political outlook.

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2010 elections

Howard Dean Tells TPMDC: 'Big Night' For Progressives

Christina Bellantoni | May 19, 2010, 2:30AM

Former DNC Chairman Howard Dean.

Former Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean said in an interview that Tuesday's elections look like a "pretty big sweep" for progressives. "They are having a big night," he said.

"My belief is that progressive Dems are a lot more appealing to mainstream voters than tea party advocates," Dean told me in an interview just after Rep. Joe Sestak was declared the winner over Sen. Arlen Specter in the Pennsylvania Democratic Senate primary.

"This is a big night for people who really want Washington to be a change agent," Dean said, adding the results show a "backlash" against both parties in official Washington. Dean, also former governor of Vermont and a 2004 presidential candidate, said he views Jack Conway as the progressive choice in Kentucky and said Lt. Gov. Bill Halter's forcing of a runoff in Arkansas proves that candidates on the left can prevail.

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2010 elections

Progressives: Punish Lincoln! Sen. Sherrod Brown: Stay Tuned!

Christina Bellantoni | March 10, 2010, 4:22PM

Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH)

Senate Democrats attempted to reassure riled up progressive pundits today that conservaDems might indeed pay a price next January when the caucus decides who will - and won't - keep their leadership positions.

TPMDC and other news outlets are in attendance at the Progressive Media Summit on Capitol Hill, hosted by the Senate Democrats. Some here, including John Aravosis and MSNBC's Ed Schultz, are treating it as a forum to tell the Senators what they are doing wrong.

Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) told the group he understands frustration that some Democrats "don't have the backbone we wish they had." After the Democrats were asked why the leadership doesn't strip Sen. Blanche Lincoln of her Agriculture Committee chairmanship, Brown chimed in and said that might be coming next year.

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Barack Obama

Poll: Dems, Independents Overwhelmingly Disappointed With Obama's Public Option Performance

Brian Beutler | December 18, 2009, 9:34AM

President Barack Obama

A finding from a new Research 2000 poll suggests Democrats and Independents are deeply disappointed with President Obama's unwillingness to truly engage in the fight for a public option.

Commissioned by the Progressive Change Campaign Committee, and Democracy for America, the question, to 800 likely voters was: "President Obama has said he favors a public health insurance option. Senator Joe Lieberman is widely credited with forcing Senate Democrats to take the public option off the table in order to win his vote. Do you think President Obama should have done more to pressure Lieberman to allow the public option to move forward?"

Overall, 63 percent said yes, 29 percent said no, and 8 percent had no opinion.

But among Democrats, and Independents, the numbers are far more striking.

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Democracy for America

Poll: Vast Majority Say Anti-Public Option Dems Should Face Primaries

Brian Beutler | December 14, 2009, 9:33AM

Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-LA), Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D-AR), and Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT)

Here's a snapshot of the electorate, at the moment when a small handful of Democrats have teamed up to tank the public option. A new Research 2000 poll, commissioned by Democracy for America and the Progressive Change Campaign Committee finds that the overwhelming majority of likely voters believe Democrats who vote against the public option should face primaries from their left.

When asked: "If a Democratic member of Congress votes against a public health insurance option, would you want a more progressive candidate to run against them in a Democratic primary?" 84 percent of respondents said "yes," 11 percent said "no," and 5 percent said they weren't sure.

Those are fairly striking numbers, particularly given last night's news that Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT) is standing in the way of public option alternatives. Lieberman, along with Sens. Ben Nelson (D-NE), Mary Landrieu (D-LA), and Blanche Lincoln (D-AR) joined forces several weeks ago, insisting they'd filibuster a health care reform bill if it included a public option. That threat laid the groundwork for a new compromise, but Lieberman's saying even that's a no-go.

The overall survey, which will be released later today, polled 802 from December 11 through the 13th--it's margin of error is 3.5%. For the above question, which went to Democrats only question, 256 were polled, yielding a 6.1% margin of error.

Health Care

Harkin: Handful Of Public Option Opponents Should Bend To 'Vast Majority' Of Dem Party

Brian Beutler | October 19, 2009, 9:54AM

Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA)

Here's another nugget exemplifying the intense pressure Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is facing from both elected Democrats and grassroots liberals to make sure health care legislation includes a public option.

"There are 52 solid Democrats for the public option," said Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA). "Only about five Democrats oppose it. Should the 52 give in to the five? Or should the five go along with the vast majority of the Democratic caucus?"

Last Thursday, at a heated Democratic caucus lunch, several Democrats rose to give impassioned arguments in favor of the public option. And, with the exception of Sen. Kent Conrad (D-ND), who gave a counterargument for private co-ops, the handful of public option opponents in the Senate were silent.

Health Care

Progressive Groups Prep Ads To Pressure Reid on Public Option

Brian Beutler | October 16, 2009, 4:19PM

Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV)

Remember a couple weeks ago when I reported that progressive groups were organizing a campaign--including television ads--to pressure Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid to include the public option in the Senate health care bill, and to enforce party unanimity against GOP filibusters?

Well, check out a new letter, available below the fold, from the Progressive Change Campaign Committee to its supporters.

Bold progressive Congressman Alan Grayson (D-FL) helped us deliver nearly 90,000 petition signatures to Sen. Harry Reid on Wednesday....

We demanded that Reid stand up to conservative Democrats who are threatening to help Republicans block an up-or-down vote on the public option. CNN, ABC, Huffington Post, Washington Post, and others covered the event....

This weekend, we'll be filming a TV ad in Nevada featuring one of Reid's constituents who desperately needs the public option. It will be powerful. More on that next week...

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Health Care

Is Harry Reid Working The Inside Game For A Public Option?

Brian Beutler | October 15, 2009, 6:09PM

Sen. Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV)

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid isn't exactly accustomed to kind words from progressives these days. With a health care reform fight that feels endless, and an intractable bloc of conservative Democrats refusing to play nice on the public option, Reid has become a common whipping boy for activists who think he hasn't done enough to strong arm his 60 voting members into giving health care reform an up or down vote.

So it comes as some surprise that two prominent progressive figures, approached by TPMDC, said that much has changed since the summer--and particularly in the last couple weeks--and that Reid is working the inside game for the public option.

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Health Care

Dem Leadership Hits Back At Liberal Groups Pressuring Reid

Brian Beutler | October 8, 2009, 4:00PM

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV)

As you may have heard, progressive groups are petitioning Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid to throw down the gauntlet and get conservative Democrats on board against Republican filibusters. The idea: "Any Democratic senators who support a Republican attempt to block a vote on health care reform should be stripped of their leadership titles. Americans deserve a clean up-or-down vote on health care."

A letter from the Progressive Change Campaign Committee to supporters announces, "We'll deliver the petition signatures to Harry Reid next week after a big news conference in front of the Senate."

So what does leadership think of this? Not too much, apparently. "These kinds of gestures are counter-productive and won't have any impact on Capitol Hill," says a leadership aide. "These kinds of efforts will fall flat."

Additionally, the aide added, even if Democrats were responsive to the pressure, it's improperly placed. "There's a fundamental miscalculation here, in that ultimately this is not a decision for Senator Reid to make. This is a decision that's going to be made by the caucus as a whole."

I doubt whether that will assuage progressives, but generally speaking the notion that party defectors should be stripped of their seniority and other perks is often embraced by grassroots activists on both the left and the right. But in recent years it hasn't typically resulted in any action on the Hill.

Health Care

White House Trying to Pave the Way for Triggers with Outside Groups

Brian Beutler | September 23, 2009, 5:18PM

President Obama

A post at the website Open Left by Mike Lux tells a troubling story for progressives.

"Some senior White House staffers are now beginning to try to sell this trigger to progressive groups as the compromise version of a public option, saying the White House doesn't want to have a floor fight in the Senate, and that they can always fix it in conference committee," Lux writes.

That way they can pick up Snowe, satisfy that desperate urge for being officially bipartisan (even though Snowe can't bring a single other Republican with her), and not have to worry about procedural hassles in the Senate.

Lux is a former staffer for President Bill Clinton, and worked for the Obama transition team--not necessarily the first person you'd imagine warning of "an ugly fight within the Democratic Party, further erosion of Obama's standing with his base, the specter of more primary fights."

Off the record interviews and emails with reform leaders resulted in no denials, and two confirmations that Lux's account is correct.

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Health Care

Sources: Expect Disappointed Progressives After Obama's Big Health Care Speech

Brian Beutler | September 3, 2009, 12:44PM

President Barack Obama

Late last night, Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-AZ)--a co-chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus--issued a press release saying he had "grave concerns" that the White House is telling pro-reform groups that they will "cease supporting" the public option.

Though I can not confirm Grijalva's specific claim entirely, after a number of off-the-record conversations with congressional and advocacy sources, it's clear that many progressives are preparing themselves to be disappointed next week.

Low-level White House officials have reached out to certain reform groups that have staked their ground on the need for a public option, I'm told, and warned them not to spend any more money advocating for the policy--that it's just not worth it. That suggestion hasn't been heeded--at least for now. The Progressive Change Campaign Committee, and Democracy for America raised over $100,000 to continue running this ad in Iowa after Congress returns from recess.

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