ACT NOW

It Felt Good to get this off my Chest

Rich Boatti — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 00:44:37 +0000

I’m glad I got to tell the hacks on LATFOR how pathetic they are at the Brooklyn LATFOR hearing on Wednesday. Here’s to free speech. Testimony to LATFOR Hearing by Rich Boatti St. Francis College Founders Hall Auditorium 180 Remsen Street February 1, 2012, 10:30 AM Good morning. My name is Rich Boatti and thank you for giving me the chance to speak today. I am a member of Act Now, a progressive and good government advocacy group and a … Read More...

That Buzzing in My Ear

Andrew Solomon — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 19:51:03 +0000

by Andrew Solomon

If you’re like me, you can’t stand an hour or two without stimulation. (Yes, I know that I have a problem.) So, I figured that I’d take a break from heavy-duty blog posts for a few days and recommend some good podcast companionship for the gym or the subway. These are a few of my favorites — all provocative, all free. EconTalk with Russ Roberts Russ Roberts, a professor at George Mason University, is one of the smartest and most … Read More...

Fair Elections in New York State Now!

ACT NOW — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 02:17:22 +0000

by ACT NOW

February 2, 2012 The Honorable Andrew M. Cuomo Governor of New York State NYS State Capitol Building Albany, New York 12224 Dear Governor Cuomo, We write to express our strong support for the pledge you made during your State of the State address to introduce 2012 legislation to create a public funding option for New York state elections. We applaud your leadership in pursuing this vital goal; public financing is the single most important next step to upend the perception … Read More...

My Preoccupation with Occupations

Carolyn — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 17:42:12 +0000

by Carolyn

“Power concedes nothing without a demand. It never did and it never will. Find out just what any people will quietly submit to and you have found out the exact measure of injustice and wrong which will be imposed upon them, and these will continue till they are resisted with either words or blows, or both. The limits of tyrants are prescribed by the endurance of those whom they oppress.” -Abolitionist Frederick Douglass [Cross-posted at ProgWoman] When members of Occupy … Read More...

One Person, One Vote? Hardly.

Carolyn — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 14:51:38 +0000

It’s painful to admit, but a voter in rural upstate New York has more clout than I do or you do, if you live in New York City or its suburbs. It’s been that way for a while, but it would get much worse with the ridiculous new maps drawn in Albany by the Republican-dominated New York State Legislative Task Force on Demographic Research and Reapportionment. Scientific as it may sound, the task force is not the nonpartisan group promised … Read More...

On Education Reform and Protecting the Worst Teachers

Rich Boatti — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 23:59:17 +0000

by Rich Boatti

The state is currently at an impasse. The federal government is threatening to withhold some $1 billion dollars in education aid if the stakeholders in New York do not agree on a teacher evaluation system. The best option for students and teachers would be for all of the players to agree on a fair evaluation system in the near future to avoid losing that money, and more importantly, ensure that every student has quality teachers and a good education. The … Read More...

The Spell of Wall Street

Katya G — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 15:32:24 +0000

“Seek first to understand, then be understood.” -Anonymous Understanding Wall Street mentality is a bit like understanding military mentality. There’s something utterly profound when brothers in arms pull together in the heat of battle and persevere. Wall Street fancies itself to be like the military. The place is rich soil for military quotes and references and “war stories”. Making money in adverse conditions is viewed as an act of valor, a display of incredible courage. Many in a decision-making position … Read More...

Governor Cuomo: Veto Those Lines!

ACT NOW — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 20:25:23 +0000

by ACT NOW

CALL GOVERNOR CUOMO TODAY AT (518) 474-8390. URGE HIM TO STAND BY HIS PLEDGE TO VETO GERRYMANDERED DISTRICT LINES. NEW YORK NEEDS HONEST REDISTRICTING AND FAIR ELECTIONS! January 27, 2012 The Honorable Andrew M. Cuomo Governor of New York State NYS State Capitol Building Albany, NY 12224 Dear Governor Cuomo: As a leading progressive organization in New York State, ACT NOW has worked for the past year in support of your proposal for the creation of a non-partisan redistricting commission and in … Read More...

The Problem with “American Jobs”

Andrew Solomon — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 18:55:41 +0000

by Andrew Solomon

As the opening to his re-election campaign, President Obama’s rousing State of the Union address laid out a vision for a renewed American social compact, one in which hard work and responsibility offer everyone a decent life. It was a stirring message, aptly crystallizing the central theme of the 2012 campaign: Does our economy work for everyone? Or does it just work for the lucky, wealthy, or unusually talented few? One of the reliable applause lines in the speech – and in … Read More...

Fireside Chat with Sen. Liz Krueger

Lenny — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 17:33:14 +0000

by Lenny

There may not have been a fireplace, but last Thursday ACT NOW was honored to have progressive champion State Senator Liz Krueger (26th District) over for an informal “fireside chat.” As she approaches her 10th anniversary in office, Liz is certainly turning up the heat on in Albany on key progressive issues. We talked with Sen. Krueger about redistricting reform in New York State, a subject dear to ACT NOW’s heart and on which we have worked tirelessly since last winter. … Read More...