Progressive Reforms

The Republican Party Of History Is Gone! 1854-2022!

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The Republican Party of history once stood for human rights, civil rights, racial equality, in the age of Abraham Lincoln.

The Republican Party of history once stood for progressive reforms, in the age of Theodore Roosevelt, Robert LaFollette, Sr., and George Norris.

The Republican Party of history once stood for promoting internationalism and fighting the Cold War for democracy and against the threat of totalitarianism, in the age of Dwight D. Eisenhower, Richard Nixon, and Ronald Reagan.

The Republican Party of history once stood for Civil Rights in the age of Senators and Congressmen who joined with Democrats to promote political and social reform.

The Republican Party of history had its elements which were evil and divisive, but the party overall stood for basic principles of decency while promoting conservatism and the concept of limited national government.

But now, the Republican Party has promoted massive give aways to the wealthy, while having no concern about the needs of the middle class and the poor.

But now, the Republican Party consorts with authoritarian regimes of the Left and the Right, including collaborating with Vladimir Putin to fix the Presidential Election of 2016, and to make concessions to the Russian Federation during the era of Donald Trump.

But now, the Republican Party has the craziest conceivable elements in its party, who promote sedition, treason, and attacks on the Constitution and the rule of law.

Only a small element of the 2021-2022 Republican Party is part of the mainstream of American politics, and they are outnumbered and attacked for their commitment to decency, honesty, and the tenets of American democracy. Plaudits to Liz Cheney, Adam Kinzinger, Anthony Gonzalez, Peter Meijer, John Katko, Tom Rice, Lisa Murkowski, Susan Collins, Ben Sasse, Mitt Romney, Pat Toomey, and a small group of other courageous, principled Congressmen and Senators!

Donald Trump and his ilk, which include millions of ignorant, prejudiced white supremacists, antisemites, Islamophobes, racists, nativists and misogynists, represent a dire threat to the American republic, and must be combatted by every legal tool available, to allow America to reach its 250th anniversary in 2026 as a nation still keeping its values and heritage that are a model for democracy around the world in the 21st century!

Time For Democrats To Play Hard Ball: Plan To Change Senate And Supreme Court If They Win White House And Congress

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With the Republicans and Donald Trump moving ahead to fill the seat of Ruth Bader Ginsburg with so little time until the election, when it should be left to the winner of the Presidency on November 3, it is time for the Democrats to play hard ball IF they win the White House and both houses of Congress, which at this point seems likely.

What can the Democrats do?

Move to create two new states that are territories now, but should be made states—Washington, DC and Puerto Rico! That would add four new Democratic seats to the Senate and about one seat for DC and four seats for Puerto Rico to the House of Representatives, most likely all or mostly Democratic members.

Get rid of the Senate filibuster that requires 60 votes on major legislation, and make it 51 votes, as the House is based on majority rule.

A third idea is to increase the Supreme Court to 13 members if the present Court becomes 6-3 conservative.

While these are seen by many as “radical” ideas, it may be the only way to promote the saving of health care; women’s rights; labor rights; gay rights; climate change legislation; criminal justice reform; aid to Americans as the Covid-19 Pandemic continues; and many other progressive reforms!

18 Weeks Until The Election Of Hillary Clinton As The 45th President Of The United States!

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The news today that the FBI has cleared Hillary Clinton of any illegal, criminal activity, regarding her Email controversy, is the clincher of the election 18 weeks from today!

Sure, the GOP will jump on the FBI’s statement that Hillary Clinton showed very poor judgment on the security matters of her email usage, but that can be seen as simply human error, as all leaders make mistakes, but not on the level of George W. Bush and the Iraq War, Afghanistan War, Hurricane Katrina, and the Great Recession of 2008!

No one is saying that Hillary Clinton is perfect but then Donald Trump is much more imperfect in an extreme fashion.

We are not electing God, or a perfect human being, as no such person has ever existed.

But we know President Hillary Clinton will shape the future of the Supreme Court and promote progressive reforms, building on Barack Obama’s path breaking changes in domestic affairs.

And we know that Hillary Clinton has the foreign policy expertise, and connections and respect from foreign governments, including friends and foes.

And now, today, Hillary Clinton can finally campaign without a cloud over her head, and arriving in Charlotte, North Carolina on Air Force One with President Obama, and later this week speaking in Scranton, Pennsylvania with Vice President Joe Biden!

So the future is bright, and there is no way, other than millions stupidly staying home and not voting, to prevent our first woman President of the United States!

BIll Clinton And Barack Obama First Signed Bills Showed Their Concern About Ordinary Americans!

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Twenty years ago, President Bill Clinton signed his first law, the Family and Medical Leave Act, which allows 12 weeks of unpaid, job protected leave to workers in order to recover from a serious medical condition, provide care for a seriously ill family member, or care for a new child.

Four years ago, President Barack Obama signed his first law, the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, to overcome a Supreme Court decision that denied women the ability to pursue for wage discrimination that had occurred more than six months previously, before a complaint was lodged.

These first bills signed gave anyone, who wished to notice, the intention of both recent Democratic Presidents to promote social justice and necessary progressive reforms.

Both would continue in the same vein as time went by, but with almost no Republicans in support of the first Obama signed legislation, but more in support of the first signed Clinton legislation.

Labor Unions: The Unsung Creator And Persistent Supporter Of The Middle Class In America!

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We live in an era where labor unions have been under attack since the election of Ronald Reagan in 1980, and the “Bully” Governors elected in 2010 have been mounting a major effort against labor unions, trying to set back labor conditions to what they were in the Gilded Age of the late 19th century.

Many Americans, who should know better, tend to agree with the conservative and Republican propaganda against labor unions, whether public or private. The Republican Party has always been against labor rights, and that is why labor is strongly Democratic on election days throughout the past century, as their greatest triumphs have come under Democratic Presidents and Congresses.

But the lack of care and respect for labor unions is because many do not realize how important they have been to the rise of the middle class in America, particularly after World War II.

What have labor unions done for us, even those who have never been members of unions?

In no special order, the benefits include:

Weekends or Five Day Work Week
Lunch Breaks
Paid Vacation
Family Medical Leave
Sick Leave
Social Security
Minimum Wage
Civil Rights Laws barring work discrimination
8 hour work day
Overtime Pay
Child Labor Laws
Occupational Safety and Health Act
40 hour work week
Workers Compensation
Unemployment Compensation
Pensions
Employer Health Care Insurance
Collective Bargaining Rights For Workers
Sexual Harassment Laws
Americans With Disabilities Act
Holiday Pay
Employer Dental, Life, and Vision Insurance
Pregnancy and Paternal Leave
Military Leave
Right Of Workers To Strike
Age and Gender Discrimination Banned

There are even more points than the long list above, but realize corporations and businesses did not give these rights and privileges out the goodness of their heart, and fought “tooth and nail” against all of them, but with progressive and liberal reform over a long period of time, these benefits were finally won!

If the conservative agenda and Mitt Romney win out, we will see a further deterioration of labor rights, as already is occurring in states governed by Republican Governors and legislatures. And if Governor Scott Walker of Wisconsin wins the recall election scheduled for next Tuesday, June 5, it will be a major blow to the labor movement and a danger sign for November!

This is NOT political propaganda! These are the unvarnished facts and truth! We would, literally, go back a century and more, to the harsh economic conditions of the Gilded Age!