Stacked Deck How the Dominance of Politics by the Affluent & Business Undermines Economic Mobility in America

David Callahan & J. Mijin Cha Demos
A host of indicators show that the middle class is struggling-and worse, shrinking-and that upward mobility is elusive for many Americans. Meanwhile, evidence abounds that the U.S. political system is increasingly dominated by wealthy interests . . . What is less understood, though, is the interplay between these two problems-the way that a tilting of political life toward business and the wealthy has served to undermine economic mobility.

Congress has a Constitutional Duty to Preserve and Promote the Post Office

John Nichols The Nation
Congress has backed a continuing resolution that pushes back against the current push to end Saturday delivery. But this “fix” is only temporary. And there are more threats on the horizon.The founding document is clear. Article I, Section 8, Clause 7 gives Congress the power and the responsibility: “To establish Post Offices and post Roads.”

12 Ways the Sequester Will Screw the Poor

Erika Eichelberger Mother Jones
The White House released a report Sunday emphasizing the ways in which the cuts will hurt the middle class, but although important entitlement programs such as Medicaid, Social Security, and food stamps are exempt from sequestration, many programs for low-income families are on the chopping block. Here are 12 of them:

Voting Rights Act Faces Key Test in Supreme Court

David G. Savage; NAACP Los Angeles Times
The Supreme Court will decide whether to strike a key part of the Voting Rights Act, which conservatives say is outdated and unfair to the South. As many as 5 million votes may have been lost in 2012 had the U.S. Department of Justice not been able to use Section 5 to block voter suppression initiatives in Texas, South Carolina and Florida.

Top Ten Surprises of the Brennan Hearing on CIA Torture and Drones

Juan Cole juancole.com
The confirmation hearing for John Brennan allowed the country to grapple with many issues that had been swept under the rug and seldom discussed in public. While few to none of them were resolved, it does seem positive that they were brought up in public.

What's Next For the Voting Rights Movement?

Brentin Mock The Nation
A Florida coalition is working to amend the Florida state constitution so that it guarantees voting accessibility for all citizens—a state-level voting rights act. “We’re focusing on legislation that grants an explicit right to vote in Florida,” says Katherine Culliton-González. “It would aim at big picture issues and make voting a fundamental right so no election law changes could happen that would take us back in time.”

NRA Defends Right to Own Politicians

Andy Borowitz The New Yorker
“Politicians pose no danger to the public if used correctly,” says NRA spokesperson Wayne LaPierre, who claims to have over two hundred politicians in his personal collection.

labor

Union Dues Collecting is examined by Missouri, Kansas lawmakers

John Hancock & Brad Cooper The Kansas City Star
Republicans say it’s a simple change, opting out to opting in. But by making it more difficult for public employee unions to collect dues, GOP lawmakers in Kansas and Missouri could weaken a chief political nemesis. If organized labor is dealt that blow this year, the stage could be set in subsequent years in Missouri to push for a right-to-work law — the most contentious of disputes between management and unions played out in state legislatures across the nation.
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