Blog Posts Archive - Page 170 of 286 - People For the American Way

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February 10, 2014 6:56 pm | By Scott

Assault On Voting by Ohio GOP Ahead of November 2014 Elections

Ohio Republican legislators are up to their voter suppression tricks again, trying to limit absentee ballot registrations and restricting voting hours ahead of the November 2014 elections. The Columbus Dispatch reported Friday that GOP Rep. Mike Dovilla, Chairman of the…
February 10, 2014 5:37 pm | By Miranda Blue

The Senate Could Cut Judicial Nominations Backlog in Five Minutes…or Five Weeks

On January 13, the Senate confirmed Judge Robert Wilkins to sit on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. So far, despite a growing backlog of judicial nominees, he is the only judge to have been confirmed this…
February 7, 2014 4:06 pm | By Paul Gordon

While the GOP Fiddles, Judicial Emergencies Mount

The Administrative Office of United States Courts today announced that a vacancy in Michigan's Eastern District has been formally designated a judicial emergency. It's a good reminder that while Republicans refuse to provide the unanimous consent needed to schedule confirmation…
February 7, 2014 3:04 pm | By admin

The Fight for Immigration Reform is a Fight for Human Rights

The following is a guest post by Italia S. Aranda, a 2013 Fellow of affiliate People For the American Way Foundation’s Young People For (YP4) program. Last year, people all over the United States spoke out like never before on…
February 6, 2014 4:17 pm | By Paul Gordon

GOP-Created Nominees Bottleneck Grows

This morning, the Judiciary Committee voted to approve another three judicial nominees. As they are advanced to the Senate floor, they get in line behind another 29 judicial nominees who could (and should) have been confirmed long ago. The GOP…
February 5, 2014 7:59 pm | By Layne Amerikaner

Leader Pelosi and Rep. Sarbanes Call for Government by the People Act and Reversal of Citizens United

Today Representative John Sarbanes was joined by House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and others in introducing legislation to help put our democracy back where it belongs: in the hands of “We, the People.” The Government by the People Act (H.R.…
February 5, 2014 3:04 am | By Paul Gordon

VT and VA Senators Move Quickly to Fill Judicial Vacancies

With a shocking 96 current vacancies in the American judiciary and another 20 new ones already scheduled to open in the coming weeks and months, some senators clearly recognize the need to move quickly to make recommendations to the White…
February 4, 2014 4:35 pm | By Paul Gordon

Wisconsin Marriage Equality Lawsuit and the Judicial Vacancy Crisis

The ACLU of Wisconsin announced Monday that it is suing in federal court to vindicate the freedom to marry of four same-sex couples. They note that Wisconsin not only prohibits same-sex couples from marrying, it has a "Marriage Evasion Statute"…
January 31, 2014 9:02 pm | By admin

Inaction on Immigration Reform Leaves Families Hanging by a Thread

The following is a guest post by Cairo Mendes, a 2013 Fellow of affiliate People For the American Way Foundation’s Young People For (YP4) program. When I came to the U.S. in 2002, I remember being told on the way…
January 31, 2014 1:27 am | By Scott

Serial Suppressor OH Secretary of State Jon Husted To Decide On Moving Cincinnati’s Largest Early Voting Location

When officials in Hamilton County Ohio decided to move the coroner’s crime lab to a new, larger location outside of downtown Cincinnati, it was thought to be a good deal. After all, a large hospital network let the county buy…
January 29, 2014 10:48 pm | By Paul Gordon

The Wrong Way to Address the Backlog of Pending Nominations

There are currently 29 highly qualified judicial nominees who have been fully vetted by the Judiciary Committee and are waiting for a confirmation vote. Many of them would have been confirmed last year but for Republican obstruction. 26 of the…
January 29, 2014 9:50 pm | By Peter Montgomery

Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice Launches ‘It’s Time’ Campaign

At a standing-room-only event at the National Press Club today, the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice launched a new campaign designed to shift the public conversation about religion and sexuality. An underlying premise for the It’s Time campaign is that…
January 29, 2014 8:25 pm | By Scott

Citizens United Anniversary Actions – In the States

PFAW’s nationwide organizing activities to push back against big money in politics continued last week with events in Iowa and Wisconsin on the 4th Anniversary of the Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision. On January 21, activists gathered in Madison and…
January 29, 2014 6:14 pm | By Paul Gordon

Hearing on Arizona Nominees Shows Why Courts Matter

Some common threads ran through the comments of senators and nominees alike at yesterday's confirmation hearing for six district court nominees in Arizona: The importance of the courts to the American people, and the critical role of experiential and personal…
January 28, 2014 6:02 pm | By Peter Montgomery

The Problem with “School Choice” Week: What’s Behind the Bright Yellow Banner

“School choice” will be celebrated this week at thousands of events across the country, with speakers talking about empowered parents and educational excellence. It will probably be a public relations bonanza for the “school choice” movement. But here’s the problem:…
January 28, 2014 3:20 pm | By Leslie Watson Wilson

Four Years After Citizens United: A Faith Perspective

Growing up, when I was taught that all people have inherent dignity, that all people were created in God's image, and that all people should have equal rights and opportunities, "all people" did not include corporations like ExxonMobil. "All people"…
January 27, 2014 8:29 pm | By Peter Montgomery

Defining Religious Liberty: Little Sisters’ Little Victory

Among the many court cases challenging contraception requirements under the Affordable Care Act, the case involving the Little Sisters of the Poor has been, and continues to be, a strange one. The latest wrinkle came on Friday in what SCOTUSblog’s…
January 27, 2014 7:21 pm | By Jake

The State Of The Union Is Unequal – Economically and Politically

In tomorrow’s State of the Union address, President Obama is expected to speak at length about growing income inequality in the United States, and his plans to address it. Any plan to address income inequality must also address the political…
January 27, 2014 4:46 pm | By Gabriela

Highlights of PFAW Foundation’s National Summit for Youth

Last week, Young People For (YP4) – a youth leadership program of PFAW Foundation – celebrated Martin Luther King, Jr. Day by concluding its ninth annual National Summit for young progressive leaders. Over the span of four days, more than…
January 24, 2014 8:36 pm | By

GOP: Sensitivity Training in Animal House

When we learned last month that John Boehner was providing "sensitivity training" to his male Republican colleagues, I knew we would be in for a treat. But who knew Boehner's friends would provide an almost daily dose of "can you…