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December 16, 2010 10:46 pm | By Jen Herrick
House debate: Murphy, Green, and Lewis on DADT repeal
There were many strong speeches during the House debate on repealing Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. Part 1. Part 2. I wanted to share three highlights with you now. Representative Patrick Murphy (D-PA8) is the lead sponsor of the Don't Ask,…
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December 16, 2010 10:40 pm | By Paul Gordon
The Conservative Assault on the Constitution
Last week, SCOTUSBlog had a podcast interview with legal scholar Erwin Chemerinsky, discussing his new book The Conservative Assault on the Constitution. The blog has asked Chemerinsky some follow-up questions, and his responses are worth reading.For instance, he discusses the…
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December 16, 2010 10:28 pm | By Miranda Blue
Artist Requests that his Work be Pulled from Censored Smithsonian Exhibit
The Stranger reports that AA Bronson, an artist whose work is featured in the National Portrait Gallery’s “Hide/Seek” exhibition has asked that his work be removed from the exhibit after the censoring of a video that the Religious Right was…
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December 15, 2010 10:45 pm | By Jen Herrick
Breaking news: House passes DADT repeal, sends bill to Senate
On a 250-175 vote, the House just passed repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. People For the American Way and African American Ministers in Action issued the following statements: Michael Keegan, President of People For the American Way, issued…
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December 15, 2010 7:40 pm | By Paul Gordon
Judge Said to Have Made “Obvious and Significant Error” In Health Care Ruling
Once people had time to look past the headlines and actually read this week's opinion striking down a key component of the Affordable Care Act, a number of them are pointing out what they consider a serious flaw in Judge…
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December 15, 2010 7:19 pm | By Brian
Future of Public Education at Risk in Florida
Even though Florida’s initial experiment with school vouchers was ridden with cases of fraud and profiteering, Governor-Elect Rick Scott plans to drastically expand the voucher program and put the state’s public schools in his crosshairs. While a recent state-commissioned study…
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December 15, 2010 5:41 pm | By Brian
Another Poll Finds Wide Support for DADT Repeal
A new poll from ABC News and the Washington Post shows that a staggering 77% of Americans believe that Congress should let gay and lesbian Americans serve openly in the military. The poll, conducted from December 9 to 12, reflects…
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December 14, 2010 4:38 pm | By Jen Herrick
Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell repeal: The fight is not over
PFAW was just as disappointed as anyone to see last Thursday’s procedural defeat of the FY11 Defense authorization bill. Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell has been a failed experiment in discrimination—it has kept countless patriotic Americans from serving their country in…
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December 14, 2010 4:05 pm | By Miranda Blue
Three Discharged Service Members Sue Over Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell
Earlier this month, Defense Secretary Robert Gates implored Congress to lift the widely unpopular Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy before it could be lifted by federal courts. A federal judge has already ordered the ban on gays and lesbians serving…
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December 14, 2010 3:17 pm | By Miranda Blue
White House: Judicial Nominations are a Priority for Lame Duck
White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs told reporters yesterday that pushing through stalled judicial nominations would be one of the president’s priorities in the last days of the lame duck session of Congress. People For released a memo last week…
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December 14, 2010 3:03 pm | By Paul Gordon
New Attacks on Public Schools
When Republicans take over the House next month, we can expect a flurry of bills seeking to impose school vouchers. But around the country, state and local officials are already escalating their assault against public education. In Florida, voucher supports…
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December 13, 2010 10:46 pm | By Jen Herrick
Westboro Baptist Church met by counter-protesters at Edwards funeral
Last week, RightWingWatch.org noted the decision by Westboro Baptist Church to stage a protest at Elizabeth Edwards’s funeral. Many were outraged to hear that the Topeka, KS church, led by pastor Fred Phelps and known for its virulently anti-gay rhetoric,…
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December 13, 2010 9:56 pm | By Miranda Blue
77% of Business Leaders Want Disclosure Laws
Last week, we wrote about the negative reaction some local chambers of commerce have had to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s $75 million spending spree on campaign ads. It turns out small businesses aren’t the only ones upset by the…
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December 13, 2010 9:35 pm | By Paul Gordon
Today’s Healthcare Ruling: Ideology and Judicial Activism
Today, a Bush-nominated federal district court judge struck down the insurance mandate of the landmark health care bill. This is the bill that Republicans did everything in their power to derail - including creating the breathtaking lie that Democrats wanted…
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December 10, 2010 7:47 pm | By Miranda Blue
PFAW Delivers to Senate 25,000 Petitions Pressing for DISCLOSE Act
Yesterday, People For the American Way delivered to Senate Rules Committee Chairman Charles Schumer the signatures of over 25,000 activists urging the Senate to take up and pass the DISCLOSE Act before the end of this Congress. The House passed…
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December 10, 2010 5:20 pm | By Paul Gordon
Chamber of Commerce Targets Workers’ Families
Miriam Regalado and her fiancé both worked at North American Stainless. In 2003, after Regalado filed a sex discrimination complaint against the company, it fired her fiancé, Thompson, in retaliation. The Supreme Court is now considering whether Title VII gives Thompson…
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December 9, 2010 9:52 pm | By Jen Herrick
Justice Department, Civil Rights Division: It gets better
In recent months I’ve written about various contributions to the It Gets Better Project. Dan and Terry. Ellen DeGeneres. President Obama. Secretary Clinton. Today brought a video from the Civil Rights Division at the Department of Justice.As you can see:The…
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December 9, 2010 7:37 pm | By Jen Herrick
Congress Moves Closer to Passage of DREAM Act
Yesterday, in a 216-198 vote, the House passed the DREAM Act, a measure that lays out a path to citizenship for young adults who were brought to the United States illegally as children, and who graduate from high school with…
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December 9, 2010 7:32 pm | By Paul Gordon
Evolving Media Narrative of the Roberts Court
More and more Americans have noticed the Roberts Court's habit of twisting the law in order to benefit powerful corporations over the rights of individuals. As recently as a year ago, the national dialogue on the Court rarely touched on…
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December 9, 2010 4:18 pm | By Miranda Blue
Revitalizing Neighborhoods: The YEO Network Tours Baltimore
Last week, People For the American Way Foundation’s Young Elected Officials Network gathered in Baltimore to talk about ways states and municipalities can address the foreclosure crisis and promote neighborhood stabilization. On Saturday, 40 of the elected officials toured Baltimore…