Voices for Change

How long has Rep. Steve Scalise been involved in Congress' take-and-give game with lobbyists? Ever since he starting writing the rules that give such corruption a pass. As Scalise puts it, he must “keep and expand our [Republican] majority in Congress.”

We are living in times of great strain, and worldwide opportunity. Huge numbers of people throughout the world want change; disappointingly, the election result in the UK was a victory for the status quo.

Have we been living in a futuristic science fiction novel through the most bizarre American century yet? Tom Engelhardt discusses the demobilization of the American people and the spectacle of the 2016 elections.

“Reclaim Chicago,” a progressive, people-led democratic coalition, are attempting to reclaim their city. Corporate elites and corrupt politicians better beware of the power of thousands of grassroots Chicagoans.

Big money is threatening the Democratic party by saying that major campaign donations are dependent on “a friendlier attitude toward the banks.” This just shows what little respect banks actually have.

Spending by outside groups exploded from about $15 million in 1998 to more than $1 billion in 2012. And between the Clinton coffers and Koch cash, the crisis will get far worse as the 2016 presidential-election season heats up. Doug Hughes hopes to help change this.

Why are our presidents so good at praising America's national park system, but lousy at maintaining it? Now Park Service officials have begun the "corporatization" process starting with "co-branding" agreements with national parks.

While fossil-fuel corporations are exploring the world’s oil, protesters in Seattle are banding together to stop Shell’s plans to drill for oil in the Arctic. And they don't plan on backing down to these catastrophic effects on climate change.

In his speech after the summit, Obama asserted that his Arab guests were reassured about his Iran negotiations, and he reaffirmed US commitment to their security. He also chastised Iran for “meddling” in the region.

People on the right, as well as many on the left, are urging the President to consider an increase in the federal gasoline tax to maintain America's transportation infrastructure and reduce greenhouse gases. Could a "bipartisan" approach be of value to this country?