Blog
All Blogs
-
April 22, 2014 6:28 pm | By Paul GordonSotomayor’s Schuette Dissent
The Supreme Court today ruled that voters in the state of Michigan could amend their constitution in a way that harmed racial minorities by passing an amendment to ban race-based Affirmative Action. (The Court made clear that this case was…
-
April 18, 2014 4:46 pm | By Jen HerrickNeed for Safe Schools Advocacy Clear in Nebraska
Earlier this week, Nebraska's Lincoln Journal Star reported about a flier sent home with fifth grade students that offered questionable advice for "turning bullies into buddies." Lincoln officials have apologized, saying that the flier doesn't reflect actual district policy and…
-
April 17, 2014 1:15 am | By Scott
Scott Walker Re-Election Tour Runs Away From His Record
Governor Scott Walker announced his re-election campaign at a series of appearances Tuesday across Wisconsin, highlighting all the supposedly great things he had done for the average Wisconsinite. The list was pretty thin. From Dane to La Crosse, Chippewa Falls,…
-
April 16, 2014 3:11 pm | By BernarditaVideo: PFAW’s Drew Courtney Discusses Right Wing Conspiracy Theories on Politics Nation with Al Sharpton
Monday afternoon, Right Wing Watch reported on conspiracy theories by conservative talking heads Bernard Goldberg and Rush Limbaugh who claim that the shoe-throwing incident in Las Vegas was staged by Hillary Clinton so she could seem more presidential. Similarly, Mark…
-
April 16, 2014 3:01 pm | By Paul GordonSenate Should Quickly Confirm Circuit Nominees, Like in 2006 Midterm Year
Because Republicans are now filibustering every judicial nominee and generally requiring hours of needless "post-cloture debate" before an actual confirmation vote can be held, it has been harder than ever to "clear the calendar" (which is Senate lingo for "hold…
-
April 14, 2014 8:38 pm | By Jen HerrickMinnesota Safe Schools Bill Becomes Law
Amid last week's activity surrounding the Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network's Day of Silence and the PFAW-led safe schools letter campaign came a state success for the idea that all students deserve far better than what they're getting when…
-
April 14, 2014 6:07 pm | By Jen HerrickVoting Rights Advocates Rack Up More Wins
Earlier this month, PFAW reported on what has gone right for voting rights at the state level in 2014. While there is much more work to be done to enact needed reforms and to step up and counter threats when…
-
April 11, 2014 6:46 pm | By Jen HerrickSafe Schools Letter Campaign Concludes with Nearly 30 Organizations Standing Together to Say Students Deserve Better
The letter-a-day campaign for safe schools that PFAW led concluded today, when we also marked the Day of Silence – an annual event organized by the Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network (GLSEN) that is meant to draw attention to…
-
April 11, 2014 4:22 pm | By Layne AmerikanerOn the Day of Silence, Check Out PFAW’s New Safe Schools Policy Toolkit
Today is the Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network’s Day of Silence, an event meant to bring attention to the “silencing effect” of anti-LGBT bullying and harassment in schools. In classrooms across the country, thousands of young people will stay…
-
April 10, 2014 10:35 pm | By Paul GordonSo Many Vacancies, So Little Cooperation from GOP Senators
President Obama has had a lot more vacancies to fill in our nation's judiciary than George W. Bush had at this point in his presidency. Unfortunately, due to obstructionism from the GOP, that has resulted in a large number of…
-
April 10, 2014 9:22 pm | ByIn the Senate, Michelle Friedland’s Nomination to 9th Circuit Advances Despite Continued GOP Obstruction
Today, the Senate voted to advance the nomination of Michelle Friedland to the 9th Circuit. Friedland was one of many superb, highly qualified judges caught up in Republicans' blanket obstruction of judicial nominees, and President Obama was forced to re-nominate…
-
April 10, 2014 9:17 pm | By Paul GordonObama’s Had a Lot More Judicial Vacancies to Fill than Bush Did
Politico had a headline a few days ago proclaiming that “Obama [is] now Outpacing George W. Bush on judges.” The key take-away was that Obama has had a few more judges confirmed than Bush had at the same point in…
-
April 8, 2014 9:28 pm | By BernarditaBlue Slips: Republicans Should Stop Abuse of Consultation Process
In an op-ed Sunday, Sen. Patrick Leahy, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, addressed critics of his use of blue slips, a committee tradition that Republicans continue to abuse. Under this policy, the chairman asks the Senators from a nominee’s…
-
April 7, 2014 5:40 pm | By Peter MontgomerySupreme Court Declines to Review New Mexico Rejection of Wedding Photographer Case
The U.S. Supreme Court today rejected a request to consider Elane Photography v. Willock, a case brought by a wedding photography business that had been penalized for violating a New Mexico law against discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.…
-
April 7, 2014 1:57 pm | By Layne AmerikanerYEO Leads Fight Against ‘Right to Discriminate’ Law in Mississippi
In the wake of the recent uproar about an expansive “right to discriminate” bill that was vetoed in Arizona, on Thursday Mississippi governor Phil Bryant quietly signed similar legislation, the so-called Mississippi Religious Freedom Restoration Act, into law. Mississippi State…
-
April 4, 2014 10:12 pm | By Jen HerrickAfrican American Ministers in Action Featured This Week in Safe Schools Letter Campaign
The letter-a-day campaign for safe schools that PFAW is leading just finished another week, and now twenty groups have gone on record with Congress in support of safe schools legislation. Together, we are sending loud and clear the message that…
-
April 4, 2014 9:26 pm | By Paul Gordon
Jamie Raskin and Marge Baker Unpack the McCutcheon Case
Two days after the Supreme Court issued its ruling in McCutcheon v. FEC, PFAW Senior Fellow Jamie Raskin and Executive Vice President Marge Baker held a telebriefing with PFAW members to discuss the case – and what Americans can do…
-
April 4, 2014 9:05 pm | By Paul Gordon
Applying McCutcheon’s Logic to Voter ID Laws
The Chief Justice's opinion in McCutcheon v. FEC striking down aggregate campaign contribution limits dismisses several scenarios put forward to describe how funds can be rerouted to bypass the existing base limits on contributions: The dissent concludes by citing three…
-
April 4, 2014 1:53 pm | By Peter Montgomery
Postcard from Arizona to John Roberts: Money Corrupts
In a week in which the Supreme Court turned a blind eye to the reality of money corrupting politics, a story out of Arizona provides a clear example of the insidious influence of the private prison industry and its campaign…
-
April 3, 2014 2:52 pm | By Jen HerrickVoting Rights – We Can Win
The New York Times and NPR recently shared somewhat different takes on where voting rights stand now and what the picture might look like come Election Day 2014. It is true, as suggested by The Times: Pivotal swing states under…