progressive states network
GRITtv: Jane Hamsher & Nathan Newman: Taxes, Marijuana and More on the Ballot
"People are looking to state ballot initiatives to have some form of control over governance when elected officials are abdicating," says Jane Hamsher of this year's crop of ballot initiatives around the country. Perhaps best known is California's Proposition 19, which would legalize, regulate, and tax marijuana, but there are also important tax initiatives on ballots around the country, as well as state environmental regulations. Hamsher joins us via Skype and Nathan Newman, formerly of the Progressive States Network, is in studio to discuss the various ballot initiatives and their effect both on voter turnout and on actual governance.
Email this pageGRITtv: Jane Hamsher: Time Has Come for Marijuana
Jane Hamsher discusses the campaign for legalizing marijuana in California, the various motives, and voter turnout. Distributed by Tubemogul.
GRITtv: Beyond SB 1070: Immigration Bills and the States
The Obama administration set up a clash with Arizona over the state's immigration bill, SB 1070, this week when it filed suit in federal court claiming that the law is a breach of federal authority. The law goes into effect later this month and would allow law enforcement officials to stop anyone on suspicion of being undocumented. In the wake of SB 1070's passage, states around the country have initiated copycat bills and other legislation aimed at cracking down on immigration. But in addition to the Holder Justice Department's lawsuit, progressive state legislators are fighting back on the state level, and activists are pushing for commonsense immigration bills on both a state and federal level. We are joined by Arizona state legislator Kyrsten Sinema and Suman Raghunathan of the Progressive States Network to discuss the continuing fight.
GRITtv: A Progressive Case for States' Rights?
As the health care bill drags toward a finish line, conservative opponents of the bill are raising a specter with some long history--"States' Rights." They claim to be able to nullify the federal reform bill on the state level, but the argument for states' rights has been made before to prevent progressive action from being taken, particularly around racial equality. Dedrick Muhammad, senior organizer at the Institute for Policy Studies, and Nathan Newman, executive director of the Progressive States Network, join Laura to talk about what states' rights really means, and how it can be good for progressives as well as bad.
GRITtv: Nathan Newman: Not A Real Debate About Federalism
Nathan Newman of the Progressive States Network says that conservatives don't really care about states' rights; they just want to prevent others' rights. GRITtv with Laura Flanders brings participatory democracy onto your computer screen and into your living room, bridging the gap between audience and advocates. Watch any show, at any time at http://grittv.org.
GRITtv: Homestretch for Healthcare Reform
After nearly a year's worth of fighting over health care reform, Congress is finally perceived to be in the final stretch. Of course, that means more fighting, more grandstanding from legislators on all sides, and last-ditch efforts to include a public option or keep alive the hope of single payer. Joining us to discuss what happens if the bill passes--and the consequences should it fail--are Dr. Anne Davis of Physicians for Reproductive Choice and Health, Enzo Pastore, health care policy specialist with the Progressive States Network, and Chris Meyer, Executive Vice President, External Affairs with Consumers Union, the publisher of Consumer Reports.
GRITtv: The Stimulus: Too Little, Too Late?
Max Fraad Wolff, professor of economics at The New School, Myles Lennon of the Laborers' Union, Local #10, Bettina Damiani of Good Jobs First and Nathan Newman of the Progressive States Network debate whether the stimulus has stopped the bleeding or whether it's more like a band-aid on a bullet wound. Beyond just creating jobs, they say, any real economic stimulus needs to make sure that the jobs created are good, with good benefits, living wages, and targeted to the people who need them the most.
