Prison-Industrial Complex Helped Write and Pass SB 1070

Staff / Truthdig Nov 1, 2010 An investigation by National Public Radio has found that prison companies that were set to make significant gains from the criminalization of immigrants helped write and pass Arizona's controversial law SB 1070. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Obama Makes Financial Overhaul Official

Staff / Truthdig Jul 21, 2010 It remains to be seen whether the new financial reform legislation that President Obama signed into law on Wednesday will spare us another economic cataclysm like the recession we're still in, but for his part, the president seems jazzed about it. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

GOP Drafting Rival Financial Reform Bill

Staff / Truthdig Apr 26, 2010 Senate Republicans are hoping that, when it comes to their Democratic opponents, if they can't beat ’em, they can at least make up their own financial reform bill to thwart ’em One pesky problem with the GOP's approach is (continued). Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Obama Signs Student Loan Legislation

Staff / Truthdig Mar 31, 2010 President Barack Obama made the short trip to Northern Virginia Community College on Tuesday to put the final touch -- his signature -- on legislation that included additional action items on the health care reform list and an overhaul of the federal student loan system. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Senate Passes Jobs Bill

Staff / Truthdig Mar 17, 2010 A better job market could be on the way for Americans looking for work if the job-creation bill passed by the Senate on Wednesday gets President Barack Obama's approval, and if the legislation actually inspires employers to do some hiring. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Senate Dems Go for Job-Creation Angle

Staff / Truthdig Feb 4, 2010 Just a day after their motivational session with President Barack Obama, Senate Democrats got back to the task of regaining some lost political capital, making a bid to better their situation and that of out-of-work Americans by introducing a job-creation package -- on the same day, the Los Angeles Times noted, that Massachusetts Sen.-elect Scott Brown was to be sworn in. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Same-Sex Marriage Legalized in Vermont

Staff / Truthdig Apr 8, 2009 Vermont has followed Iowa's lead, becoming the fourth state to make same-sex marriage legal. On Tuesday, the Vermont Legislature overturned Gov. Jim Douglas' veto with one more vote than was needed to make it official. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Pro-Union Bill in Trouble

Staff / Truthdig Mar 25, 2009 Sen. Arlen Specter gave the proposed Employee Free Choice Act the shaft Tuesday, severely wounding legislation that would make forming unions significantly easier. Labor leaders were depending on support from moderates such as Specter, but, facing a primary challenge, the Pennsylvania Republican chickened out. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Bernie Sanders Wants Answers, Writes Legislation to Get Them

Staff / Truthdig Mar 4, 2009 Fed chief Ben Bernanke may be able to dole out trillions in the blink of an eye, but on Tuesday he ran headlong into Congress' only independent democratic socialist. Sen. Bernie Sanders demanded to know where all the Fed's money was going. Bernanke said "no." Sanders fired back by introducing a bill that would require such information to be posted to the Fed's Web site. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Making Him Do It

David Sirota / Truthdig Jan 30, 2009 Intragovernmental squabbling probably makes the conflict-averse Obama uncomfortable. But the “make him do it” dynamic could finally bring the center of Washington’s political debate closer to the progressive center of American public opinion. Dig deeper ( 3 Min. Read )

Lilly Ledbetter Has Her Day

Staff / Truthdig Jan 30, 2009 On Thursday, President Barack Obama signed his first bill into law -- the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act -- with the lofty aim of ensuring equal pay for equal work and eradicating workplace discrimination. The bill's namesake, a former Goodyear employee, was on hand, as was first lady Michelle Obama, who at a reception after the signing ceremony called Ledbetter “one of my favorite people." Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Economic Policy That Might Actually Work? Who Knew?

Marie Cocco / Truthdig Jan 29, 2009 After eight years of trickle-down tax cuts that pushed the prosperous up and left most everyday Americans sliding further down, the stimulus bill now moving swiftly through Congress is more than a reversal of political course. Let's hope it's not too late. Dig deeper ( 3 Min. Read )