In the last month, Popular Information exposed the hypocrisy of Match and other corporations that claimed to support abortion rights while making large donations to an anti-abortion Republican committee (prompting coverage in The Guardian, Vox, and the New York Times (twice) and ultimately forcing Match to swear off future donations to the group), took you behind the scenes of Wells Fargo's corporate PAC (using internal documents obtained from a company source), and documented the right-wing smear campaign against a doctor who helped a 10-year-old rape victim (a story that went viral on Twitter).
Today, however, I want to hear from you. What's on your mind? What topics would you like Popular Information to take on in the weeks ahead?
You can leave your thoughts in the discussion thread linked below, starting now. I’ll be dropping by later today to answer as many of your questions as I can.
Why are Democrats so poor at messaging? Pick some simple, easy to remember, winning messages and repeat them over and over, like the Republicans do so well. Also, push to the front smart, charismatic candidates to lead the way, to create excitement for the messaging.
I think there is some truth to this but another thing I believe is that getting "everyone" to stick to a message is not something that really ever happens. Democrats (and Republicans) are large groups of people who believe different things and defend different things. So messaging is less about getting everyone to agree and more about getting a critical mass (plus resources) behind a message. Charismatic candidates are always good.
Cable news is the largest source of info Voters use to form opinions - voting opinions. Since 2016 "her emails" R-wing bias of cable news is also beyond question...and there is the sad answer to why it Appears Dems are poor messengers. They don't have news agencies messaging for them. GOP does.
I agree. As someone else said, and I’ve always agreed till now, When they go low, we go high.” Bless Michele Obama but being sweet isn’t working anymore.
I think you can go high and still attack and protect the marginalized. The low is punching down or attacking someone personally. Protesting Kavanaugh while he eats dinner, executive orders, calling out bigotry by naming the person being hateful is not going low like Republicans.
Who owns the major media conglomerates?! While we know Democrats explain things as if they’re talking to intelligent, reasonable people. Therefore, too long on the message. Media does not report on them because it is under right wing control! Remember when Bernie Sanders had Standing room only crowds and followers in the south? Nobody really heard much about that! The right wingers control the microphone!
I think there's more to that. I think it's the corporate interests' takeover of independent information outlets. Biden, like Bernie, is outspokenly pro unions and pro wealth tax, which doesn't sit well not just with right wing outlets (Murdoch's FOX & WSJ) but also with (former) less conservative billionaires like Zuckerberg (Facebook), Bezos (WaPo), and the Wall Street moguls that own the NYT. Elon Musk's bid for Twitter follows in the footsteps.
And I wonder, could the counter be ----- why are Republicans so fine with being intellectually bankrupt? I hope I pose the question in fairness, because then what would "messaging" matter? Here's one that I pose (without shade or malice) ---- "Don't Be Evil" --- that's a simple message that should resonate. One could suggest "don't vote for evil," but then --- aren't we already divided into our camps?
Yes, Pelosi's finest moment this Congress. But one that still could have been achieved with a new Speaker getting advise from elder stateswoman Pelosi.
Maybe. But who? One thing about the Reps, their people stand out, are really visible. Dems don't have that. And I wonder how making the system more complex would help or hinder.
Yes, it's past time for Pelosi and Schumer to let other leaders rise. But that's not the problem with messaging. I agree with those who say the problem is the media (either so right wing they are disinformation or so profit-driven that they don't do nuance or non-corp messaging). Social media is even worse than MSM
Agree - social media has a lot of bad built into some of the good. Gossip is easy, and fun sometimes :( , whereas good journalism is rigorous and detail focused, and Americans have been losing the ability to focus on details.
There is money and power in division and confusion, especially stoked with anger. Blood gets eyeballs to the screens. Sex scandals, crimes, you name it... What's the last good news article you read all the way through?
Ineffective leadership for sure, but I’ll take the opposite view on Pelosi and Warren - I see them as strong and very dialed-in. I would leave them out of your courtesy flush -). But I can do without legislators campaigning via social media, like the performance arrests at the abortion rights rally this week; that stuff can all be flushed. Social media soundbites are a far cry from actual leadership.
Warrens ideas are well thought out solutions to our big problems but she is not charismatic IMO. Give me Warren with Mallory McMorrow fight and charisma
Here's another thought... I think many Dems are stuck-- many or our leaders are-- in cognitive dissonance. They've been frozen since Trump won. What can we do to disrupt cognitive dissonance?
A series on the concept of regulatory capture, meaning how industries buy off regulators through lobbying, donations, and sending former execs into the ranks. No topic is more timely than climate change.
The issue is broader than regulatory matters. Insider trading by members (on both sides of the aisle), the revolving door from Congress and government institutions to 7-figure law firms to lobbying for US adversaries has created a disincentive for legislation protecting Americans.
Because of lack of term limits or any accountability, Congresspeople can spend decades with no tangible accomplishments other than renaming post offices.
The way economists use the term regulatory capture, it applies to Congress and state legislatures as well. It has broad application. I’ve even seen it, or something like it in the corporate world. Salesmen can develop relationships with the purchasing agents of big clients to the point that they push back strongly against their own management on price increases.
For sure. This is just one aspect of our current governmental dysfunction. I like it as a topic for Popular Information because it fits the follow the money and follow the people ethos.
Very likely this could tie in with the Manchin expose also suggested. How he was given the chair of the Energy Committee, in 2021... (reward for holding the entire D agenda hostage)
Adam Tooze' newsletter today reviews the collapse of BBB, the degree to which the Democratic party has lost its way (it wasn't just Manchin blocking BBB...there are a number of cowardly moderate Democrats all too happy to allow Manchin to take the heat). He also points to the inexplicable failure of the Democrats to even try to roll back the Trump tax cuts. While the collapse of democracy and paralyzing societal polarization falls squarely on the GOP, the Democratic leadership class owns plenty of responsibility for doing little to avoid or mitigate the multiple converging crises we face.
There is one target you should most urgently continue to investigate, ferret out, expose, and hopefully disable: Joe Manchin. Look at his enablers, sponsors, companies, partners, PACs, bankers, financial dealings, taxes, cronies, shady deals, and anything that could crush that vermin.
+1... Concur. Senator Manchin lives like he's "Almost [in] Heaven," but appears merely to be protecting his money --- and not the average citizen/voter of West Virginia.
His thought process is not the same as the average citizen. He is the hero in his own story. Reality (and everyone else) be damned. There are too many like him.
The answer to Manchin and Sinema is to flip 3-4 Senate seats in 2022. That will take away their leverage. In the meantime, work w Manchin on what we can get (judges, etc). Great idea for Judd to research his donors to get Manchin some leeway.
Yes more stories about the best place to put our money and our energy to get those two additional antifilbuster and Senate Seats. I don't want to flush time or money down the toilet with an Amy McGrath type campaign
I'm not sure people realize Biden has many judges confirmed....because he needs and gets every Dem Senate vote. Attacking Manchin changes nothing, electorally. There is no state, local, or federal election this year that attacking Manchin or Sinema has any impact on.
I fail to see the relation between your first sentence and the rest of your comment.
In any case, time is short, but if he could be disgraced and have to resign before Nov. 8, West Virginia could be added to the list of open Senate seats, couldn't it? and even if a Republican took his place, it wouldn't make a bit of a difference.
Another scenario would be things getting known publicly that would force him to toe the line. Or he could be politically emasculated in his own state, making him bad news for both Democrats and Republicans. Anything to get this scumbag out, and that goes for Sinema too.
Biden and the powers-that-be at the Democratic party are asleep at the wheel,/cowards/too PC to really get tough, and that's part of why the know-nothing Republican voters despise them so much. When was the last time the USA had a hardboiled Democratic president?
Right. He would resign and the GOP state would nominate a GOP Senator who would absolutely win because WV is a GOP state. Yes, that would be very helpful to POTUS.
If Manchin resigns and is replaced by an appointed or elected GOP Senator from WV, then nominal Senate majority shifts back to R. That means the heads of ALL COMMITTEES switch to R. It's the committee heads who control what bills get to the floor for a vote.)
And MOSCOW MITCH becomes majority leader AGAIN, which means NO MORE JUDICIAL CONFIRMATIONS, or ANY OTHER LEGISLATION GETS THROUGH.
AND, before arguing that POTUS should "DO SOMETHING" about them, CONSIDER if they get mad they can just switch parties in a heartbeat, and MOSCOW MITCH is in charge again.
So there is a reason POTUS is threading the needle around Manchin; if he stays on good terms, we at least get the judicial confirmations. Make him mad, and we don't even get those.
So yes, we need somebody to buy off Manchin & Sinema. She is totally corruptible and could no doubt be bought by a higher bidder than the ones controlling her now. If you know anybody controlling a PAC that can "donate" a million dollars to her "campaign", or promise her a multi-million dollar "consulting" job, by all means speak up.
But Manchin is already corrupted and a billionaire who can do what he wants, and thumb his nose at us. NEITHER are vulnerable AT ALL until they are up for reelection, which is NOT this year.
Mitch is ALREADY in charge of the Senate. He hasn't let ANYTHING, of real subsrance, thru. Yes, we HAVE had judges appointed but ONLY because he caved to making the Judiciary selections "neutral ground", so he could get his SC(R)OTUS picks thru.
I think they are mostly doing what they can but I think they need be trumpian in that they just throw so much shit at the wall to see what sticks, what they can get away with..."radical" things like aboriton on federal lands or via postal service without Rx (maybe that ones unworkable in terms of keeping docs safe and only lasts as long as we have the presidency) but just way more executive action would make me happy (although ultimate executive power needs to be reigned in if we can make congress functional again)
That man knows no shame. If he wants to improve the lives of West Virginians, he should have supported the continuation of the expanded child tax credit. He’s a monster.
Follow the money from political support to supply chain, to manufacturer, to marketing, to seller to specific buyer that have commited mass shooting incidents.
Put ID serial numbers several times on each bullet (so enough will survive damage done by firing and hitting something) so culprits can be held accountable.
They tried that before, it was something like a lot number engraved into each batch and sales would have to be tied to that lot number (that is what I recall; the specifics could have been a bit different.) Three guesses what happened to that proposal in Congress. (Pro tip: you only need one guess)
1/ US citizen here living in UK for 30+ years. The UK Foreign office is considering issuing travel advisories for UK citizens who are pregnant and visiting states that have restrictive abortion laws as they may not receive good medical care if they require emergency medical care.
2/ I work in financial services and when banks make loans/arrange finance to companies/organisations they consider various risk types, one of which is country risk. Surely USA banks should start to consider risks of lending to companies investing in businesses in states with restrictive voting laws, restrictive abortion laws, etc as they run a higher risk of recruitment failure and are supporting states that are denying basic human rights. This should impact municipal bonds as well for cities in restrictive states.
I would like to see companies get pressured to leave if the state does not make abortion legal or safe for their employees. I think industry boycotts can be enacted to force the states to change. I know this impacts good people living there but it is a life & death issue and a human rights issue.
With a plethora of monumental issues at hand, I believe we need to focus on our democracy in the short term. If we lose our democracy, if we don’t hold leaders accountable, then we lose our leverage needed to solve most of the other problems.
Agree. One great place to explore would be gerrymandering, specifically how money flow gets from corporations and PACs to legislatures who create unfair, undemocratic districts.
How much wealth have politicians accumulated since joining office?
Many moderate Democrats seem to be focused on maintaining the status quo, focusing more on fundraising rather than working to solve problems. Many Republicans are also guilty of prioritizing their own accumulation of wealth; it just feels more disingenuous hearing politicians like Nancy Pelosi speak about wealth inequality in this country while she vocally opposed stock trading bans for members of Congress.
We need to figure out a way to change the incentives for our elected officials. It's too easy for them to profit. Their goals should be improving society.
Came here to say this! For (just one) example- aid to Ukraine. How much of that is finding its way into elected officials’ pockets (D and R) via defense company stocks?
A woman’s right over her own body, and the corruption of the church needs attention daily…. They are / have been funding the forced birth policy.
Yet the public discussion is still not combining the issue of one particular religion being forced on everybody else in a supposedly free United States
Is there a definitive book on the Democratic Party’s accomplishments post WWII? If not, can you write about them and compile resources to make one? Thanks.
Since WWII Democratic priorities have been very popular and Republican not so much which is why they resort to culture war distractions. I feel as though the Democratic Party needs to beat the drum harder on what the party has stood for in comparison to GOP.
I think this is somewhat different to how I view my role. I'm open about my opinions but I don't really want to carry water for a particular political party. I want to learn the facts and share them with people.
In previous times I would agree. But now we face authoritarian fascism or the Democratic Party. There comes a point where it matters what you support even with some criticism of the Democratic Party.
I hear you and agree it’s somewhat outside of your purview. I would think of less of carrying water than saving the Republic. In a two party system if one party is committed to autocracy and very close to forcing a permanent undemocratic majority, people like you with large important platforms play a vital role in supporting the other side. To date, the Democratic Party has done a miserable job of championing their / government’s successes. Traditional media won’t do it either. A void needs to be filled. Thanks for responding.
Agree, and some of our most outstanding accomplishments as a country have been facilitated by government. Really don't understand the conservative's mantra of "small government". We have big problems and we need the security and heft of our government.
Yes. Government is the only democratic (small d) balance to corporate and religious power bases. It never ceases to amaze me that people buy this "gov is bad" mantra when we are a gov of the people, by the people, for the people. Sure we have problems with corruption, but fix those problems - don't destroy government.
More investigation into the Catholic Church’s use of funds to push their anti abortion agenda. This money starts at the parish level and filters upward and outward. Most parishioners do not understand how their individual giving filters into the political agenda at the top. The Catholic Church should be losing their tax exemption status.
The RCC has the numbers, regarding money and followers, but the Protestant Evangelists have the minds of the batshit militants. Religion is a perfect construct to manipulate and control the masses, it comes with a cloak of purity and goodness.
Agreed. For too long the Catholic Church has been given a pass regarding its efforts to codify Catholic theology into our laws. I daresay if pro-choice defenders were to picket Catholic Churches on Sunday mornings the same way that Catholics have picketed abortion clinics, we might make a difference in red states' efforts to limit women's reproductive rights.
The gop and Catholic Church work hand in hand. Both are hierarchical, paternalistic, misogynistic, authoritarian, undemocratic and ruled over by white males. Trump is the gop's Pope with their followers believing both infallible.
Yes! I have apologized to my two older kids for not allowing them to take the full benefit of the Public School system. My daughter would be allowed to "skip" major coursework (i.e. Chemistry or Calculus) to attend Prolife rallies. However, if her skirt was too short she would be sent to detention. As a parent, too many red flags flashed on my radar and this is when I realized I had been indoctrinated and brainwashed over my lifetime because of the brainwashing and indoctrination of my ancestors. Enough is enough...its time to lift the veil. Follow the money.
I think peacefully picketing Catholic Churches is a brilliant idea!
This lends my thoughts to the SCOTUS Catholics becoming activists. Judd, I would like to see you delve into the religious leanings in the court and the court essentially legislating for their ideologies.
I'd love to see a "deep dive" on the Justice Department. Why is it seemingly so reluctant to act against the political leaders of the 1/6 coup attempt?
Almost impossible to do such a dive without someone in the inner circle of the Justice Department to leak to you. Doesn't seem like that's happening at the moment.
Why was Garland chosen in the first place? He's hardly a master prosecutor...most of his career was spent as a judge focused on avoiding appeal. Even in the OK City case, McVeigh was already under arrest when Garland arrived. Officials at the time didn't understand why Garland refused to investigate the white militias that McVeigh was associated with. Garland takes the easy wins...look how long it took for him to charge seditious conspiracy for the groups at the Capitol. The OIG initiated the investigation into the fake electors because Garland would not act. Does anyone believe for a second that Garland will investigate the lawlessness of the Secret Service in deliberately destroying evidence? Many insist that Garland is playing 64-dimensional chess.Neither his career, nor his actions over the past 16 months support this theory.
who knows? BUT-- Biden can FIRE GOP Garland & GOP WRAY (dir of FBI, Trump Appointee) why won't Biden fire them both? Read somewhere Biden hired more lawyers to defend himself against the GOP investigations if they win midterms-- if BIDEN expelled & cleaned out traitors at highest levels-- there would be no need for him to do this. what is Biden not holding GOP accountable with concrete consequences?
I find her analyses unpersuasive. She followed the same playbook with the Mueller report, when she was convinced Mueller was 'following the money'. I find former federal prosecutors to be far more knowledgeable about the strategy (or lack thereof) of the DOJ.
Marcy does not speculate on whether it will happen or not, but she believes the evidence suggests the DOJ would not be reluctant to go after Trump or his associates, even if Trump declares his candidacy for President.
I think congress needs to be held responsible for their votes. We need tough questions ask on their thought process and why especially Republicans can't stand up to their leadership and do what's right for all Americans. Buying congressmen is one thing but we need to make them say out loud that they do not believe everyone is equal under the law.
But they won’t admit it. I can’t imagine Sen. Todd Young of Indiana ever confessing such a thing, although all his actions reveal him for the bought radical conservative he is.
Since inflation is the single GOP issue for this year's midterms, you may want to highlight how corporations may be inflating prices also to support GOP wins - and how inflation really started back in Trump time, if you do your math right.
On an individual level, keep investigating the support base of GOP candidates of this fall's key open races. Later also on the fallout from radical policies enacted by FL Governor DeSantis, who will very likely be the GOP candidate in 2024.
Also, please look into the totally unfair press coverage given by the mainstream media - not just the far right - to the Biden administration. POTUS and cabinet members are hardly mentioned despite being extremely active and successful. Why are Biden and Secretary Austin hardly ever mentioned when talking/writing about the war in Ukraine? Why is every achievement - from unemployment figures to NATO to a finally stronger dollar - turned into a list of cons and POSSIBLE negative effects? Why do press conferences at the WH no longer make the news when every word uttered by Sarah Sanders and McEnany used to make headlines? I could go on and on, but you get the idea.
Yes, I recall your work on this. American Prospect also laid out corporate price gouging, comparing the scale of profits to pricing on individual corps. Certainly worth more exposure.
Thank you, Judd, we know you will. Isn't it interesting though how after Trump's tariff spree on all kinds of imported goods, many importers and distributors went for option n.1 (absorb some or all the costs) instead?
Wow! As I’m typing this, the comment count is rising so fast I can’t keep up! Many of the suggestions already made are on my mind, too, and I’ll offer my $.02.
First, have you considered adding a master post in your newsletter that outlines your core reporting and links to those pieces? You may have several new subscribers and connecting them with that content might be useful.
Second, there are 36 governor elections this year and 8 have no incumbent. Consider picking one of those states and dissecting the primary candidates’ funding, advertising and so forth as a series from now through the logical end. My personal favorite is Maryland because of the primary results (and my residency). Third, consider something similar for a senate seat.
Thank you for regularly asking this question and for the impact you’re making.
Everyone should be calling their Members of Congress to demand hearings on SCOTUS Integrity. Ginni Thomas and Justice Thomas's refusal to recuse are just the tip of the iceberg. There should be a Jan 6th Committee approach to SCOTUS Integrity.
Yes! My Congresscritter in Manhattan distributes free hand sanitizer made from NYS prison labor. Prisoners aren't even allowed to have hand sanitizer, due to the alcohol content.
It would be interesting to dive into health care organizations, insurance and hospital systems that come out with boiler plate commentary about supporting their patients in context of reproductive rights and yet themselves restrict their own services and do not provide full reproductive care. An example is a hospital I worked at, Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, that had made recent PR boilerplate commentary in support of patients. However, many years ago they eliminated their GYN first trimester elective services, thus limiting full available care and allowing it to be further limited to places like planned parenthood. The reasons for limiting that care is important to know. The rumor when I was there was a spouse of a hospital executive didn’t want these services provided. It further ostracizes and isolates places like planned parenthood as the only available resources to provide full spectrum standard of care medicine. Popular Info could be a great investigative source to try to follow donations from and to hospital systems to see if this effects local hospital policy and resource allocations like this and to address this hypocrisy.
If hospitals offered abortion openly, it would bring abortion back into medical care state of mind instead of farmed out to these clinics and PP outposts as if it were some surreptitious care that can't be addressed in a hospital.
Assuming the SS deleting all those J6 texts is a massive coverup, my question is, just how catastrophically bad would those texts have to have been for them to decide we could never see them? Are we ever going to know? Are heads going to roll? To me, this seems an historically huge deal. A national scandal, or am I overreacting?
Expose campaign contributions to the Republican party at the State level in states that will swing control of the House and prolong control of the senate.
Very concerned about people burning out on the insurrection reports and not recognizing the danger to our country being taken over by folks worse than Republicans.
The Council for National Policy’s role in undermining our democracy by disguising the interconnection of most of the right wing groups that are responsible for the reactionary SCOTUS and Ginni Thomas. Details are reported in SHADOW NETWORK by Anne Nelson. There is a strong sense of urgency to getting these connections out there!
Having just read Bill Browder's "Freezing Order" I'd like to know more about money laundering and the Republican connection. I've heard that South Dakota has new banking laws that could make money laundering easier. Are there other places where money is encouraging people to accommodate to crime?
Senate seats are up for grabs in November. Dems have the chance to make some gains…OH and PA to name but a couple.
Howza ‘bout pounding Repub candidates with questions (revealing their positions—which will be contrary to Dem opposition), on very important issues wherein they are out-of-step with Reality, most voters, and the long-term survival of our Planet, and Republic, (Election integrity, climate change, women’s right to choose (and how Repubs/surrogates lie about those advocating choice seeking abortion right up until time of birth), and, enabling/pooh-poohing (in all its forms) the J6 Insurrection/Insurrectionists?
Thank you Judd, This maybe redundant, but the insurance industry (in this narrow case, Petplan) being part owner to numerous-presumably 'not-too-biased' publications, some of whose bread & butter is to publish schmaltzy animal stories (The DODO, NY Magazine, Huffington Post, among others), seems like a wide spread problem.
It deals only with the veterinary industry, but that something like this isn't happening everywhere else in the insurance industry seems unthinkable....
An exploration of the real estate industry. I heard, but this could be incorrect, that property owning real estate firms recieve tax breaks for unrented properties, thus they have no incentive to lower rents to affordable prices. Also, how many properties, in cities with housing shortages, are rented to foreigners for part time residences or owned by foreigners for investment.
Do a deep dive into all of the conflicting interests and financial investments of Joe Manchin that has motivated him to be a one-man wrecking ball for Biden’s agenda.
Also I just learned that some businesses are reorganizing as IRS - recognized churches ((or religious institutions with a collection of churches) and using this to avoid taxes, reduce scrutiny, and cover for political messaging. Can we blow up this obvious perversion of religious exemption?
First, I appreciate your excellent journalism. It is terrific to see bigger news outlets picking up your scoops. The world is a safer place for your work (and Heather Cox Richardson).
I am especially concerned about our lack of campaign finance reform. It undermines our democracy in so many ways and on so. many levels. We pretty much have the uber wealthy and corporations running congress and elections in a system of legalized corruption.
Thank you for listening, Ginger Woolridge, Annapolis
Judd, now would be a great time to do an expose on the private companies that service student loan payments. Occasionally there are news stories about the Sallie Mae CEO who had several mansions, Sofi, which bought naming rights to a major league sports stadium, Navient, which took it top brass on a Hawaiian vacation as a "reward" for meeting their financial goals. I'd love to see these bastards on the front page while it's been so hard to get Biden to keep his campaign promises regarding student loan debt cancellation. How much have these private companies spent retaining lobbyists and influence legislation? The student loan industry is a failed system (thanks partly to Biden himself who voted against bankruptcy rights for student loan borrowers as a senator). Over 50 million taxpayers have student loan debt that has grown exponentially to nearly $3 TRILLION because of the unique method of compounding interest (no other loan is allowed to do this), the egregious fees the companies are allowed to charge, and the intentional ignorance of the staff who have to deal on the phone with desperate borrowers. Now would be a perfect time to blow the cover off of this long running scandal, with some legislation coming up for a vote in both the house and the senate (especially my senators who are unwilling to come out publicly with their positions). Borrowers need meaningful relief, not another band aid that keeps borrowers in indentured servitude to these companies and the US government that allows this to keep going.
I would suggest following @studentloanjus1 on Twitter. Alan Collinge has been working on this issue for 17 years. He's written very compelling articles and has made some talk show appearances in the past several months.
I think that protecting and strengthening our democracy is the top priority right now. There are many pressing issues but none can be addressed properly unless we stop the right wing extremism engulfing too high a percentage of the country.
Probably not up your alley, but it seems to me the Secret Service Text story may need to be focused on. First, because right now we are still relying on USSS protection of our leaders. And either USSS is filled with incompetents or people whose allegiance is not to the US or the Constitution and who cannot be trusted to protect the Prez&VP among others.
I'm super interested but I just need an angle where I can add value. I don't want to write on something if I think there will be better coverage elsewhere.
Doubtful. Select Committee can make recommendations but DOJ will likely ignore it as Garland will think it's too "political." Trump put his guy in the top spot in year 3. The SS knows how to recover deleted data, but they also know how to destroy it without a trace.
Popular Information reports about the dissonance of corporations supporting groups like the Republican AG Assoc. even as the corporations attempt to cushion their employees from the reactionary fallout of those groups' work have been wonderful. What about selecting 10 "progressive" corporations (maybe based on ESG ratings) and highlighting all the PACs to which they donate to highlight any dissonance between professed corporate policies and the causes/candidates the PACs support?
Understood -- the ESG ratings can be meaningless. But wouldn't showing the dissonance between PAC donations and the progressive posturing of which ESGs are a feature be another way to deflate overly positive perceptions of corporate virtues?
Have been reading comments which have veered into irrelevance regarding Manchin, Pelosi & Schumer, as there is nothing we can do about them right now. I would like to see Dems be more aggressive in exposing Republican evil doing and in touting everything Democrats have done and are doing to help the American people. What I am doing right now and all should be doing is concentrating on getting the vote out to defeat Republicans at all levels of government, not complaining/quibbling about Democrats. We can be more active, as well, in exposing corrupt politicians as we learn about them from this newsletter and elsewhere. I have learned that even wealthy Republican voters hate corruption and have voted out corrupt Republicans in local elections.
This is an invaluable column. I want to plug a book that offers Dems a wiser way of introducing themselves to the public at large: Dirt Road Revival, by Chloe Maxmin and Canyon Woodward. Their door to door campaigns got Chloe elected first to the Maine State House, then the Maine State Senate, in 2018, and 2020, the first Democrat EVER to win in those districts.
I also want to flag an issue that's not yet been well-handled. How to respond to the climate challenge. More than 85% of US energy comes from fossil fuels. We use the energy our gadgets require, right? The only way to change the kinds of energy we use is to change out the gadgets that use them. My wife and I got our Annapolis home completely off fossil fuels by replacing a dying gas furnace with a geothermal heat pump. And we replaced a gas stove with an electric induction stovetop and electric oven. Our hot water heater was electric from the start. The journey to a clean energy future is, in principle, quite simple. Whenever a gas-burning appliance wears out, bring in an electric powered alternative. Multiply that by tens of millions of homes and business establishments and we see the size and importance of a capital equipment replacement approach to ending our reliance on fossil fuels. Ignore this issue and we'll not make a dent in the climate challenge. It's really up to us, in our homes, our businesses, and our communities, to change gears and get moving on this front.
I can appreciate and agree but note that much of the electricity in the US is generated by coal. Also, Geothermal energy works well for heating in cold climates, is less efficient and effective for cooling in hotter climates, something I learned when considering it for my home in Florida.
Climate change: I'd like to know more about how corporations are stonewalling climate legislation. And how the private sector needs to step up in mitigation efforts.
Could there be a group-sourced, constantly updated, wiki-like, independent, investigative, international list (names, titles, faces, etc) of the INDIVIDUALS throughout the world who are arguably the most personally responsible for the mass deaths caused by climate change? What is it, like 50,000 people globally, maybe only 5,000 who are actively the most responsible?
I deeply appreciate your work in terms of naming names and calling out various companies and politicians in the US -- but I think what you do needs to be magnified by about 1,000x, and internationalized, which will need the help of many others around the world.
In the meantime, I'm so, so tired of the corporate media blaming end users, faceless consumers ("carbon footprint"), "voters" (hi NYTimes!), for the world's ills, which everyone who reads your newsletter knows is BS. These are top-down problems, driven by vast wealth and power, and it's time to identify and hold accountable the individuals who are most responsible. Obviously our governments and legal systems aren't and won't be doing the job.
Investigate what is going to happen to health care costs in places where women now have to be nearly dead before they can have a life-threatening pregnancy ended or a dead fetus removed from their uterus. This will affect the bottom line for employers who provide health insurance to their workers, as well as Medicaid and other programs. What will happen? Will companies stop hiring women of reproductive age since it will now cost more to insure them? Will there be a mass exodus of OB-GYNs, maternal-fetal medicine specialists, midwives and ultrasound technicians to states where they can continue (for now) to work unimpeded? Where are the American Medical Association and the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology in all this? What about the women subjected to unnecessary suffering and potentially permanent health complications, if they survive? What recourse will they have?
We are in world war III and it is climate change. The USA has the highest per capita generation of CO2. The emergency is global and affects every one of us. It affects us now, not in the future. Who is effectively finding solutions. How can we help this effort? Who is impeding?
Not composting organics, like we DON'T in Canada in my community of Haliburton, ON, robs the soil of nutrients and creates harmful methane. How to encourage this healthy circularity in our food consumption and economy?
Because the fake news and non partisan posing right wing extremists groups weren't enough to destroy our democracy, Trumps past finance chair Todd Ricketts just launched Freespoke a search engine free of liberal bias. Yup guess whatcha top story is? Hunter Biden
Why are we only trying to limit the burning of fossil fuels, when we aren't generating the cheap green electricity that will be needed to replace it? Windmills and solar panels are thirty per cent effective! Where are the new atomic plants, and why don't the oil companies want us to ask?
Between the climate, energy costs and Ukraine war, I'm still stunned there is no Manhattan Project for green energy. Imagine if we spent the last 6 months building solar and wind on every military base and government site. That would reduce carbon, reduce energy prices and bring a new scale of economy to these technologies.
Offshore wind energy holds great promise as well. One problem is getting funding passed. Another is getting necessary materials. Solar buildout is hampered by duties on Chinese materials and the issue of slave labor and coal-fired plants used to mine and make those materials.
Yes, those are challenges. But more funding would be accessible if Biden would declare a national climate emergency. It would also allow him to invoke the Defense Production Act to boost US production of materials. It’s not perfect, but the benefits of a major green energy building program would be huge.
While I often blame Fox, all the non Fox networks framed the Supreme Court EPA decision as a blow to Biden, not a blow to the environment. You need to continue to hold networks and others accountable both for what they fail to report and for how they report what they do. In this case MSNBC and others were as misleading as Fox and because so many consider them more reliable, they are more dangerous.
Suggest more coverage of Catholic church ( as well as rest of tax-exempt American Christianity religious organizations) lobbying for Anti-women healthcare legislation.
Dems really do need to work on their message. And someone needs to lock Manchin in the Senate cloak room and leave his negative @$$ there. He's as bad as Moscow Mitch. we need to go on offence against the Fascist 5 on the Supreme Court and Carrot Caligula's little magats. We need the ERA, a modernized electrical grid and more unions and labor support. Income inequality is higher now than it was right before the stock market crash in '29. that needs to be addressed and remedied - now!!
What can regular people do to make a difference outside of voting (which everyone should do for all elections local and state and vote down ballot) and donating to good organization?
My group MarkersForDemocracy.org meets 3-5 times a week to write postcards to voters and chat and hear candidates and other speakers while we write. We’ve seen over 400 speakers since we got on Zoom in March 2020. Before that we wrote together in person. We also started a Giving Circle through the States Project. https://www.markersfordemocracy.org/fundraising this year supporting candidates for state legislature in Pennsylvania and Arizona. We welcome people to join us or to talk to us about what you can do. At this point we are fully on Zoom and have people joining from all over the country.
If the Electoral College was removed the possibility of corruption, at least in the electoral arena, collapses on itself... yes it may be hard to abolish it but at least try and expose its flaws over and over. We no longer gather votes via Pony Express
In the 2020 NRA IRS Filing 990, there are multiple footnotes (p.46/47) regarding excess benefits provided to its executives, with the NRA asserting that it expects to receive reimbursement. Have they been received? Follow up on that and other issues regarding the NRA. Thanks for your good work.
Why are Democrats so poor at messaging? Pick some simple, easy to remember, winning messages and repeat them over and over, like the Republicans do so well. Also, push to the front smart, charismatic candidates to lead the way, to create excitement for the messaging.
I think there is some truth to this but another thing I believe is that getting "everyone" to stick to a message is not something that really ever happens. Democrats (and Republicans) are large groups of people who believe different things and defend different things. So messaging is less about getting everyone to agree and more about getting a critical mass (plus resources) behind a message. Charismatic candidates are always good.
Another issue is that some issues relate to messaging but an absolutely critical piece is delivering policies that improve people's lives.
I think Dems need to learn to repeat their message over and over again.
Cable news is the largest source of info Voters use to form opinions - voting opinions. Since 2016 "her emails" R-wing bias of cable news is also beyond question...and there is the sad answer to why it Appears Dems are poor messengers. They don't have news agencies messaging for them. GOP does.
They need to hire some top marketing specialists.
And visual instructional designers… 69% of us learn visually.
I agree. As someone else said, and I’ve always agreed till now, When they go low, we go high.” Bless Michele Obama but being sweet isn’t working anymore.
I think you can go high and still attack and protect the marginalized. The low is punching down or attacking someone personally. Protesting Kavanaugh while he eats dinner, executive orders, calling out bigotry by naming the person being hateful is not going low like Republicans.
Who owns the major media conglomerates?! While we know Democrats explain things as if they’re talking to intelligent, reasonable people. Therefore, too long on the message. Media does not report on them because it is under right wing control! Remember when Bernie Sanders had Standing room only crowds and followers in the south? Nobody really heard much about that! The right wingers control the microphone!
I think there's more to that. I think it's the corporate interests' takeover of independent information outlets. Biden, like Bernie, is outspokenly pro unions and pro wealth tax, which doesn't sit well not just with right wing outlets (Murdoch's FOX & WSJ) but also with (former) less conservative billionaires like Zuckerberg (Facebook), Bezos (WaPo), and the Wall Street moguls that own the NYT. Elon Musk's bid for Twitter follows in the footsteps.
And I wonder, could the counter be ----- why are Republicans so fine with being intellectually bankrupt? I hope I pose the question in fairness, because then what would "messaging" matter? Here's one that I pose (without shade or malice) ---- "Don't Be Evil" --- that's a simple message that should resonate. One could suggest "don't vote for evil," but then --- aren't we already divided into our camps?
Wasn’t that google initial motto? Do no evil? Much has changed.
Ineffective leadership. Pelosi & Warren needed to step aside a few years ago. Fresh thoughts. New ideas. New spokespeople. Time for a courtesy flush
Pelosi is a genius. Have you heard of the January Select Committee?
I agree she has done some brilliant moves, but I also agree that age limits need to be imposed for these positions.
Maybe not age limits, but definitely term limits. With a prohibition on lobbying after.
Yes, Pelosi's finest moment this Congress. But one that still could have been achieved with a new Speaker getting advise from elder stateswoman Pelosi.
Maybe. But who? One thing about the Reps, their people stand out, are really visible. Dems don't have that. And I wonder how making the system more complex would help or hinder.
Yes, it's past time for Pelosi and Schumer to let other leaders rise. But that's not the problem with messaging. I agree with those who say the problem is the media (either so right wing they are disinformation or so profit-driven that they don't do nuance or non-corp messaging). Social media is even worse than MSM
Agree - social media has a lot of bad built into some of the good. Gossip is easy, and fun sometimes :( , whereas good journalism is rigorous and detail focused, and Americans have been losing the ability to focus on details.
There is money and power in division and confusion, especially stoked with anger. Blood gets eyeballs to the screens. Sex scandals, crimes, you name it... What's the last good news article you read all the way through?
Ineffective leadership for sure, but I’ll take the opposite view on Pelosi and Warren - I see them as strong and very dialed-in. I would leave them out of your courtesy flush -). But I can do without legislators campaigning via social media, like the performance arrests at the abortion rights rally this week; that stuff can all be flushed. Social media soundbites are a far cry from actual leadership.
Warrens ideas are well thought out solutions to our big problems but she is not charismatic IMO. Give me Warren with Mallory McMorrow fight and charisma
Exactly
Here's another thought... I think many Dems are stuck-- many or our leaders are-- in cognitive dissonance. They've been frozen since Trump won. What can we do to disrupt cognitive dissonance?
A series on the concept of regulatory capture, meaning how industries buy off regulators through lobbying, donations, and sending former execs into the ranks. No topic is more timely than climate change.
Agreed. I have some ideas around climate issues that hopefully can get out into the world soon.
Regulatory capture impacts not only climate but also finance, transportation, pollution... Every cabinet department.
The issue is broader than regulatory matters. Insider trading by members (on both sides of the aisle), the revolving door from Congress and government institutions to 7-figure law firms to lobbying for US adversaries has created a disincentive for legislation protecting Americans.
Because of lack of term limits or any accountability, Congresspeople can spend decades with no tangible accomplishments other than renaming post offices.
The way economists use the term regulatory capture, it applies to Congress and state legislatures as well. It has broad application. I’ve even seen it, or something like it in the corporate world. Salesmen can develop relationships with the purchasing agents of big clients to the point that they push back strongly against their own management on price increases.
For sure. This is just one aspect of our current governmental dysfunction. I like it as a topic for Popular Information because it fits the follow the money and follow the people ethos.
Very likely this could tie in with the Manchin expose also suggested. How he was given the chair of the Energy Committee, in 2021... (reward for holding the entire D agenda hostage)
Adam Tooze' newsletter today reviews the collapse of BBB, the degree to which the Democratic party has lost its way (it wasn't just Manchin blocking BBB...there are a number of cowardly moderate Democrats all too happy to allow Manchin to take the heat). He also points to the inexplicable failure of the Democrats to even try to roll back the Trump tax cuts. While the collapse of democracy and paralyzing societal polarization falls squarely on the GOP, the Democratic leadership class owns plenty of responsibility for doing little to avoid or mitigate the multiple converging crises we face.
I fear Trump tax cuts will become permanent if not addressed in the next government funding reconciliation bill.
Definitely. Great thought.
There is one target you should most urgently continue to investigate, ferret out, expose, and hopefully disable: Joe Manchin. Look at his enablers, sponsors, companies, partners, PACs, bankers, financial dealings, taxes, cronies, shady deals, and anything that could crush that vermin.
It goes beyond Manchin & Sinema. Which bought politician is waiting in the wings to play spoiler next?
+1... Concur. Senator Manchin lives like he's "Almost [in] Heaven," but appears merely to be protecting his money --- and not the average citizen/voter of West Virginia.
His thought process is not the same as the average citizen. He is the hero in his own story. Reality (and everyone else) be damned. There are too many like him.
The answer to Manchin and Sinema is to flip 3-4 Senate seats in 2022. That will take away their leverage. In the meantime, work w Manchin on what we can get (judges, etc). Great idea for Judd to research his donors to get Manchin some leeway.
Yes more stories about the best place to put our money and our energy to get those two additional antifilbuster and Senate Seats. I don't want to flush time or money down the toilet with an Amy McGrath type campaign
I'm not sure people realize Biden has many judges confirmed....because he needs and gets every Dem Senate vote. Attacking Manchin changes nothing, electorally. There is no state, local, or federal election this year that attacking Manchin or Sinema has any impact on.
I fail to see the relation between your first sentence and the rest of your comment.
In any case, time is short, but if he could be disgraced and have to resign before Nov. 8, West Virginia could be added to the list of open Senate seats, couldn't it? and even if a Republican took his place, it wouldn't make a bit of a difference.
Another scenario would be things getting known publicly that would force him to toe the line. Or he could be politically emasculated in his own state, making him bad news for both Democrats and Republicans. Anything to get this scumbag out, and that goes for Sinema too.
Biden and the powers-that-be at the Democratic party are asleep at the wheel,/cowards/too PC to really get tough, and that's part of why the know-nothing Republican voters despise them so much. When was the last time the USA had a hardboiled Democratic president?
Rochelle Parks
just now
Right. He would resign and the GOP state would nominate a GOP Senator who would absolutely win because WV is a GOP state. Yes, that would be very helpful to POTUS.
For people who don't get the sarcasm font:
If Manchin resigns and is replaced by an appointed or elected GOP Senator from WV, then nominal Senate majority shifts back to R. That means the heads of ALL COMMITTEES switch to R. It's the committee heads who control what bills get to the floor for a vote.)
And MOSCOW MITCH becomes majority leader AGAIN, which means NO MORE JUDICIAL CONFIRMATIONS, or ANY OTHER LEGISLATION GETS THROUGH.
AND, before arguing that POTUS should "DO SOMETHING" about them, CONSIDER if they get mad they can just switch parties in a heartbeat, and MOSCOW MITCH is in charge again.
So there is a reason POTUS is threading the needle around Manchin; if he stays on good terms, we at least get the judicial confirmations. Make him mad, and we don't even get those.
So yes, we need somebody to buy off Manchin & Sinema. She is totally corruptible and could no doubt be bought by a higher bidder than the ones controlling her now. If you know anybody controlling a PAC that can "donate" a million dollars to her "campaign", or promise her a multi-million dollar "consulting" job, by all means speak up.
But Manchin is already corrupted and a billionaire who can do what he wants, and thumb his nose at us. NEITHER are vulnerable AT ALL until they are up for reelection, which is NOT this year.
So BE CAREFUL what you ask for.
Yes yes yes. Flip seats. If McConnell becomes Speaker we are through.
This entire election is about gaining a decisive majority —-no not yet who —in the House and Senate.
Like Biden or not, that’s our charge. It’s quite literally the only thing that will save us.
Mitch is ALREADY in charge of the Senate. He hasn't let ANYTHING, of real subsrance, thru. Yes, we HAVE had judges appointed but ONLY because he caved to making the Judiciary selections "neutral ground", so he could get his SC(R)OTUS picks thru.
And in terms of federal judge confirmations, yes, him resigning would make a huge difference
.
I should have qualified..majority speaker.
4 judges were confirmed this week. One to D.C Appeals court. What is vs. What may have happened....
I think they are mostly doing what they can but I think they need be trumpian in that they just throw so much shit at the wall to see what sticks, what they can get away with..."radical" things like aboriton on federal lands or via postal service without Rx (maybe that ones unworkable in terms of keeping docs safe and only lasts as long as we have the presidency) but just way more executive action would make me happy (although ultimate executive power needs to be reigned in if we can make congress functional again)
But, none of the Republicans, an entire party is willing to work on climate change.
+1. Expose loopholes or other ways to force a break in his coal contract with the power plant.
Yes! Disempower that SOB with your vote! He gains power through discord, confusion, and patronage.
That man knows no shame. If he wants to improve the lives of West Virginians, he should have supported the continuation of the expanded child tax credit. He’s a monster.
https://imageio.forbes.com/specials-images/imageserve/61c19e020b5a2b0fa07c892e/CTC-Checks-More-Likely-to-Go-to-Food--Clothing-and-Housing-in-West-Virginia/960x0.jpg?height=440&width=602&fit=bounds
ASSAULT-WEAPON SUPPLY CHAIN: Expose the supply chain for weapons & ammo sold to civilians.
What manufacturers choose to sell these products to the civilian market? What retailers choose to sell them to civilian customers?
Who is choosing to earn a living this way?
How 'bout an online public shaming gallery that displays the NAMES & FACES of individuals who are enabling the massacre of civilians?
This is interesting. It also reflects that the gun industry has emerged as a much more powerful force than the NRA.
Follow the money from political support to supply chain, to manufacturer, to marketing, to seller to specific buyer that have commited mass shooting incidents.
Shrewd point that I've not seen made explicitly before! Hope you'll run with it.
If bullet manufactorers were held liable—
Put ID serial numbers several times on each bullet (so enough will survive damage done by firing and hitting something) so culprits can be held accountable.
They tried that before, it was something like a lot number engraved into each batch and sales would have to be tied to that lot number (that is what I recall; the specifics could have been a bit different.) Three guesses what happened to that proposal in Congress. (Pro tip: you only need one guess)
1/ US citizen here living in UK for 30+ years. The UK Foreign office is considering issuing travel advisories for UK citizens who are pregnant and visiting states that have restrictive abortion laws as they may not receive good medical care if they require emergency medical care.
2/ I work in financial services and when banks make loans/arrange finance to companies/organisations they consider various risk types, one of which is country risk. Surely USA banks should start to consider risks of lending to companies investing in businesses in states with restrictive voting laws, restrictive abortion laws, etc as they run a higher risk of recruitment failure and are supporting states that are denying basic human rights. This should impact municipal bonds as well for cities in restrictive states.
Very interesting points.
I would like to see companies get pressured to leave if the state does not make abortion legal or safe for their employees. I think industry boycotts can be enacted to force the states to change. I know this impacts good people living there but it is a life & death issue and a human rights issue.
I like this line of thinking very much E Brooks!
The Republicans are already giving banks trouble about green investing (which is largely green washing).
With a plethora of monumental issues at hand, I believe we need to focus on our democracy in the short term. If we lose our democracy, if we don’t hold leaders accountable, then we lose our leverage needed to solve most of the other problems.
Agree. One great place to explore would be gerrymandering, specifically how money flow gets from corporations and PACs to legislatures who create unfair, undemocratic districts.
How much wealth have politicians accumulated since joining office?
Many moderate Democrats seem to be focused on maintaining the status quo, focusing more on fundraising rather than working to solve problems. Many Republicans are also guilty of prioritizing their own accumulation of wealth; it just feels more disingenuous hearing politicians like Nancy Pelosi speak about wealth inequality in this country while she vocally opposed stock trading bans for members of Congress.
We need to figure out a way to change the incentives for our elected officials. It's too easy for them to profit. Their goals should be improving society.
Wrote a piece in January that is related: https://popular.info/p/how-to-make-congress-less-corrupt
Came here to say this! For (just one) example- aid to Ukraine. How much of that is finding its way into elected officials’ pockets (D and R) via defense company stocks?
A woman’s right over her own body, and the corruption of the church needs attention daily…. They are / have been funding the forced birth policy.
Yet the public discussion is still not combining the issue of one particular religion being forced on everybody else in a supposedly free United States
See the opinion piece by Linda Greenhouse, in the 7/22/22 NY Times, "Religious Doctrine, Not the Constitution, Drove the Dobbs Decision."
Agree thought it was excellent
Is there a definitive book on the Democratic Party’s accomplishments post WWII? If not, can you write about them and compile resources to make one? Thanks.
Since WWII Democratic priorities have been very popular and Republican not so much which is why they resort to culture war distractions. I feel as though the Democratic Party needs to beat the drum harder on what the party has stood for in comparison to GOP.
I think this is somewhat different to how I view my role. I'm open about my opinions but I don't really want to carry water for a particular political party. I want to learn the facts and share them with people.
In previous times I would agree. But now we face authoritarian fascism or the Democratic Party. There comes a point where it matters what you support even with some criticism of the Democratic Party.
I hear you and agree it’s somewhat outside of your purview. I would think of less of carrying water than saving the Republic. In a two party system if one party is committed to autocracy and very close to forcing a permanent undemocratic majority, people like you with large important platforms play a vital role in supporting the other side. To date, the Democratic Party has done a miserable job of championing their / government’s successes. Traditional media won’t do it either. A void needs to be filled. Thanks for responding.
Agree, and some of our most outstanding accomplishments as a country have been facilitated by government. Really don't understand the conservative's mantra of "small government". We have big problems and we need the security and heft of our government.
Yes. Government is the only democratic (small d) balance to corporate and religious power bases. It never ceases to amaze me that people buy this "gov is bad" mantra when we are a gov of the people, by the people, for the people. Sure we have problems with corruption, but fix those problems - don't destroy government.
Baby/bath water idiom. Yes.
See works by Thom Hartmann. He has a whole series of books in most of these subjects.
More investigation into the Catholic Church’s use of funds to push their anti abortion agenda. This money starts at the parish level and filters upward and outward. Most parishioners do not understand how their individual giving filters into the political agenda at the top. The Catholic Church should be losing their tax exemption status.
We certainly will continue to have our eye on the ballot initiatives in Kansas, Michigan and other states. https://popular.info/p/catholic-church-spending-big-on-anti
The RCC has the numbers, regarding money and followers, but the Protestant Evangelists have the minds of the batshit militants. Religion is a perfect construct to manipulate and control the masses, it comes with a cloak of purity and goodness.
Agreed. For too long the Catholic Church has been given a pass regarding its efforts to codify Catholic theology into our laws. I daresay if pro-choice defenders were to picket Catholic Churches on Sunday mornings the same way that Catholics have picketed abortion clinics, we might make a difference in red states' efforts to limit women's reproductive rights.
The gop and Catholic Church work hand in hand. Both are hierarchical, paternalistic, misogynistic, authoritarian, undemocratic and ruled over by white males. Trump is the gop's Pope with their followers believing both infallible.
Yes! I have apologized to my two older kids for not allowing them to take the full benefit of the Public School system. My daughter would be allowed to "skip" major coursework (i.e. Chemistry or Calculus) to attend Prolife rallies. However, if her skirt was too short she would be sent to detention. As a parent, too many red flags flashed on my radar and this is when I realized I had been indoctrinated and brainwashed over my lifetime because of the brainwashing and indoctrination of my ancestors. Enough is enough...its time to lift the veil. Follow the money.
I think peacefully picketing Catholic Churches is a brilliant idea!
This lends my thoughts to the SCOTUS Catholics becoming activists. Judd, I would like to see you delve into the religious leanings in the court and the court essentially legislating for their ideologies.
Any church that inserts itself in politics should lose tax exempt status. A subject worth investigation.
I'd love to see a "deep dive" on the Justice Department. Why is it seemingly so reluctant to act against the political leaders of the 1/6 coup attempt?
Almost impossible to do such a dive without someone in the inner circle of the Justice Department to leak to you. Doesn't seem like that's happening at the moment.
Understood. It was more wishful thinking on my part than anything else--thanks for responding!
Why was Garland chosen in the first place? He's hardly a master prosecutor...most of his career was spent as a judge focused on avoiding appeal. Even in the OK City case, McVeigh was already under arrest when Garland arrived. Officials at the time didn't understand why Garland refused to investigate the white militias that McVeigh was associated with. Garland takes the easy wins...look how long it took for him to charge seditious conspiracy for the groups at the Capitol. The OIG initiated the investigation into the fake electors because Garland would not act. Does anyone believe for a second that Garland will investigate the lawlessness of the Secret Service in deliberately destroying evidence? Many insist that Garland is playing 64-dimensional chess.Neither his career, nor his actions over the past 16 months support this theory.
I wanted Sally Yates. She'd have had all these fascists doing a perp walk by now.
Love her!
who knows? BUT-- Biden can FIRE GOP Garland & GOP WRAY (dir of FBI, Trump Appointee) why won't Biden fire them both? Read somewhere Biden hired more lawyers to defend himself against the GOP investigations if they win midterms-- if BIDEN expelled & cleaned out traitors at highest levels-- there would be no need for him to do this. what is Biden not holding GOP accountable with concrete consequences?
Why wasn't Wray fired for utter failures related to 1/6?
He doesn't really want to rock the boat either.
Trump rocked the boat - if Garland can’t counter rock -to stabilize the boat - why won’t Biden fire him?
I'd have rather had #JusticeMatters Glenn Kirschner as the AG. MOST of these a'hole would have already been arrested & indicted.
Hell, Joyce White Vance or Barbara McQuade would be 100% better than Garland.
Or any right wing militia group. Some if the people in the military and police forces are part of the MAGA crowd.
Read Marcy Wheeler at Emptywheel. She does a very thorough job of explaining why the DOJ is not as reluctant as it may seem.
I find her analyses unpersuasive. She followed the same playbook with the Mueller report, when she was convinced Mueller was 'following the money'. I find former federal prosecutors to be far more knowledgeable about the strategy (or lack thereof) of the DOJ.
DOJ, SS, FBI were all polarized under TRUMP & never purged... WHY?
Is there hope? It needs to happen soon!
Marcy does not speculate on whether it will happen or not, but she believes the evidence suggests the DOJ would not be reluctant to go after Trump or his associates, even if Trump declares his candidacy for President.
I think congress needs to be held responsible for their votes. We need tough questions ask on their thought process and why especially Republicans can't stand up to their leadership and do what's right for all Americans. Buying congressmen is one thing but we need to make them say out loud that they do not believe everyone is equal under the law.
But they won’t admit it. I can’t imagine Sen. Todd Young of Indiana ever confessing such a thing, although all his actions reveal him for the bought radical conservative he is.
If someone would just keep at it... maybe poeople would notice their avoidance of their answering for their actions... I can dream
Since inflation is the single GOP issue for this year's midterms, you may want to highlight how corporations may be inflating prices also to support GOP wins - and how inflation really started back in Trump time, if you do your math right.
On an individual level, keep investigating the support base of GOP candidates of this fall's key open races. Later also on the fallout from radical policies enacted by FL Governor DeSantis, who will very likely be the GOP candidate in 2024.
Also, please look into the totally unfair press coverage given by the mainstream media - not just the far right - to the Biden administration. POTUS and cabinet members are hardly mentioned despite being extremely active and successful. Why are Biden and Secretary Austin hardly ever mentioned when talking/writing about the war in Ukraine? Why is every achievement - from unemployment figures to NATO to a finally stronger dollar - turned into a list of cons and POSSIBLE negative effects? Why do press conferences at the WH no longer make the news when every word uttered by Sarah Sanders and McEnany used to make headlines? I could go on and on, but you get the idea.
Did this in April and I think the points here are still relevant: https://popular.info/p/inflation-profiteering
Will continue to follow.
Yes, I recall your work on this. American Prospect also laid out corporate price gouging, comparing the scale of profits to pricing on individual corps. Certainly worth more exposure.
Thank you, Judd, we know you will. Isn't it interesting though how after Trump's tariff spree on all kinds of imported goods, many importers and distributors went for option n.1 (absorb some or all the costs) instead?
Yes, investigative reporting on price gouging masked as inflation would be very powerful
Wow! As I’m typing this, the comment count is rising so fast I can’t keep up! Many of the suggestions already made are on my mind, too, and I’ll offer my $.02.
First, have you considered adding a master post in your newsletter that outlines your core reporting and links to those pieces? You may have several new subscribers and connecting them with that content might be useful.
Second, there are 36 governor elections this year and 8 have no incumbent. Consider picking one of those states and dissecting the primary candidates’ funding, advertising and so forth as a series from now through the logical end. My personal favorite is Maryland because of the primary results (and my residency). Third, consider something similar for a senate seat.
Thank you for regularly asking this question and for the impact you’re making.
Thank you Gloria! These are all good suggestions.
Love the idea of profiling a few key races - particularly flippable Senate seats + State AG + State Governors.
I don't want you to forget about Jenny Thomas and the horrendous conflict of interest displayed by Judge Thomas.
Everyone should be calling their Members of Congress to demand hearings on SCOTUS Integrity. Ginni Thomas and Justice Thomas's refusal to recuse are just the tip of the iceberg. There should be a Jan 6th Committee approach to SCOTUS Integrity.
That's Ginni Thomas, not Jenny.
the Thomas' both need to be investigated for their part in the coup. & who leaked the SC memo-- Ginni? that fell from MSM radar...
I would like to know more about Companies that profit off of prison labor.
Yes! My Congresscritter in Manhattan distributes free hand sanitizer made from NYS prison labor. Prisoners aren't even allowed to have hand sanitizer, due to the alcohol content.
It would be interesting to dive into health care organizations, insurance and hospital systems that come out with boiler plate commentary about supporting their patients in context of reproductive rights and yet themselves restrict their own services and do not provide full reproductive care. An example is a hospital I worked at, Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, that had made recent PR boilerplate commentary in support of patients. However, many years ago they eliminated their GYN first trimester elective services, thus limiting full available care and allowing it to be further limited to places like planned parenthood. The reasons for limiting that care is important to know. The rumor when I was there was a spouse of a hospital executive didn’t want these services provided. It further ostracizes and isolates places like planned parenthood as the only available resources to provide full spectrum standard of care medicine. Popular Info could be a great investigative source to try to follow donations from and to hospital systems to see if this effects local hospital policy and resource allocations like this and to address this hypocrisy.
James Schmakel, MD
Emergency Medicine Physician
Thanks for sharing this James. Definitely worth investigating.
If hospitals offered abortion openly, it would bring abortion back into medical care state of mind instead of farmed out to these clinics and PP outposts as if it were some surreptitious care that can't be addressed in a hospital.
Assuming the SS deleting all those J6 texts is a massive coverup, my question is, just how catastrophically bad would those texts have to have been for them to decide we could never see them? Are we ever going to know? Are heads going to roll? To me, this seems an historically huge deal. A national scandal, or am I overreacting?
Expose campaign contributions to the Republican party at the State level in states that will swing control of the House and prolong control of the senate.
There will be lots of campaign finance coverage between now and November!
Very concerned about people burning out on the insurrection reports and not recognizing the danger to our country being taken over by folks worse than Republicans.
The Council for National Policy’s role in undermining our democracy by disguising the interconnection of most of the right wing groups that are responsible for the reactionary SCOTUS and Ginni Thomas. Details are reported in SHADOW NETWORK by Anne Nelson. There is a strong sense of urgency to getting these connections out there!
Having just read Bill Browder's "Freezing Order" I'd like to know more about money laundering and the Republican connection. I've heard that South Dakota has new banking laws that could make money laundering easier. Are there other places where money is encouraging people to accommodate to crime?
Wyoming: https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/interactive/2021/wyoming-trusts-finance-pandora-papers/
My understanding is South Dakota is all about blind trusts and secrecy laws. Oliver Bullough, author of Moneyland and formerly of the FT, is one of the leading investigators: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/nov/14/the-great-american-tax-haven-why-the-super-rich-love-south-dakota-trust-laws
Please look into , how the Secret Service got sold out.
Senate seats are up for grabs in November. Dems have the chance to make some gains…OH and PA to name but a couple.
Howza ‘bout pounding Repub candidates with questions (revealing their positions—which will be contrary to Dem opposition), on very important issues wherein they are out-of-step with Reality, most voters, and the long-term survival of our Planet, and Republic, (Election integrity, climate change, women’s right to choose (and how Repubs/surrogates lie about those advocating choice seeking abortion right up until time of birth), and, enabling/pooh-poohing (in all its forms) the J6 Insurrection/Insurrectionists?
Appreciate your work.
Thank you Judd, This maybe redundant, but the insurance industry (in this narrow case, Petplan) being part owner to numerous-presumably 'not-too-biased' publications, some of whose bread & butter is to publish schmaltzy animal stories (The DODO, NY Magazine, Huffington Post, among others), seems like a wide spread problem.
In this case:
https://thecaninereview.com/2022/07/15/media-elites-behind-animal-loving-dodo-ny-mag-and-vox-stay-silent-as-partner-slashes-pet-insurance-coverage-options-for-vet-professionals/
It deals only with the veterinary industry, but that something like this isn't happening everywhere else in the insurance industry seems unthinkable....
An exploration of the real estate industry. I heard, but this could be incorrect, that property owning real estate firms recieve tax breaks for unrented properties, thus they have no incentive to lower rents to affordable prices. Also, how many properties, in cities with housing shortages, are rented to foreigners for part time residences or owned by foreigners for investment.
This is an important topic that is on my list.
Do a deep dive into all of the conflicting interests and financial investments of Joe Manchin that has motivated him to be a one-man wrecking ball for Biden’s agenda.
Also I just learned that some businesses are reorganizing as IRS - recognized churches ((or religious institutions with a collection of churches) and using this to avoid taxes, reduce scrutiny, and cover for political messaging. Can we blow up this obvious perversion of religious exemption?
Excellent piece on this from propublica: https://www.propublica.org/article/family-research-council-irs-church-status
I'd like to see more exposure of megachurches - where the money goes, and how much of it is used for political purposes.
First, I appreciate your excellent journalism. It is terrific to see bigger news outlets picking up your scoops. The world is a safer place for your work (and Heather Cox Richardson).
I am especially concerned about our lack of campaign finance reform. It undermines our democracy in so many ways and on so. many levels. We pretty much have the uber wealthy and corporations running congress and elections in a system of legalized corruption.
Thank you for listening, Ginger Woolridge, Annapolis
Yes yes yes. The money in our politics is by far the most egregious problem undermining our democracy.
Judd, now would be a great time to do an expose on the private companies that service student loan payments. Occasionally there are news stories about the Sallie Mae CEO who had several mansions, Sofi, which bought naming rights to a major league sports stadium, Navient, which took it top brass on a Hawaiian vacation as a "reward" for meeting their financial goals. I'd love to see these bastards on the front page while it's been so hard to get Biden to keep his campaign promises regarding student loan debt cancellation. How much have these private companies spent retaining lobbyists and influence legislation? The student loan industry is a failed system (thanks partly to Biden himself who voted against bankruptcy rights for student loan borrowers as a senator). Over 50 million taxpayers have student loan debt that has grown exponentially to nearly $3 TRILLION because of the unique method of compounding interest (no other loan is allowed to do this), the egregious fees the companies are allowed to charge, and the intentional ignorance of the staff who have to deal on the phone with desperate borrowers. Now would be a perfect time to blow the cover off of this long running scandal, with some legislation coming up for a vote in both the house and the senate (especially my senators who are unwilling to come out publicly with their positions). Borrowers need meaningful relief, not another band aid that keeps borrowers in indentured servitude to these companies and the US government that allows this to keep going.
Student loans are definitely a huge topic that I haven't covered yet.
I would suggest following @studentloanjus1 on Twitter. Alan Collinge has been working on this issue for 17 years. He's written very compelling articles and has made some talk show appearances in the past several months.
I think that protecting and strengthening our democracy is the top priority right now. There are many pressing issues but none can be addressed properly unless we stop the right wing extremism engulfing too high a percentage of the country.
Probably not up your alley, but it seems to me the Secret Service Text story may need to be focused on. First, because right now we are still relying on USSS protection of our leaders. And either USSS is filled with incompetents or people whose allegiance is not to the US or the Constitution and who cannot be trusted to protect the Prez&VP among others.
I'm super interested but I just need an angle where I can add value. I don't want to write on something if I think there will be better coverage elsewhere.
will anyone in SS be fired or disciplined or nada?
Doubtful. Select Committee can make recommendations but DOJ will likely ignore it as Garland will think it's too "political." Trump put his guy in the top spot in year 3. The SS knows how to recover deleted data, but they also know how to destroy it without a trace.
Popular Information reports about the dissonance of corporations supporting groups like the Republican AG Assoc. even as the corporations attempt to cushion their employees from the reactionary fallout of those groups' work have been wonderful. What about selecting 10 "progressive" corporations (maybe based on ESG ratings) and highlighting all the PACs to which they donate to highlight any dissonance between professed corporate policies and the causes/candidates the PACs support?
Interesting suggestion and/but check out my piece on ESG ratings: https://popular.info/p/the-multi-trillion-dollar-greenwashing
Understood -- the ESG ratings can be meaningless. But wouldn't showing the dissonance between PAC donations and the progressive posturing of which ESGs are a feature be another way to deflate overly positive perceptions of corporate virtues?
Have been reading comments which have veered into irrelevance regarding Manchin, Pelosi & Schumer, as there is nothing we can do about them right now. I would like to see Dems be more aggressive in exposing Republican evil doing and in touting everything Democrats have done and are doing to help the American people. What I am doing right now and all should be doing is concentrating on getting the vote out to defeat Republicans at all levels of government, not complaining/quibbling about Democrats. We can be more active, as well, in exposing corrupt politicians as we learn about them from this newsletter and elsewhere. I have learned that even wealthy Republican voters hate corruption and have voted out corrupt Republicans in local elections.
This is an invaluable column. I want to plug a book that offers Dems a wiser way of introducing themselves to the public at large: Dirt Road Revival, by Chloe Maxmin and Canyon Woodward. Their door to door campaigns got Chloe elected first to the Maine State House, then the Maine State Senate, in 2018, and 2020, the first Democrat EVER to win in those districts.
I also want to flag an issue that's not yet been well-handled. How to respond to the climate challenge. More than 85% of US energy comes from fossil fuels. We use the energy our gadgets require, right? The only way to change the kinds of energy we use is to change out the gadgets that use them. My wife and I got our Annapolis home completely off fossil fuels by replacing a dying gas furnace with a geothermal heat pump. And we replaced a gas stove with an electric induction stovetop and electric oven. Our hot water heater was electric from the start. The journey to a clean energy future is, in principle, quite simple. Whenever a gas-burning appliance wears out, bring in an electric powered alternative. Multiply that by tens of millions of homes and business establishments and we see the size and importance of a capital equipment replacement approach to ending our reliance on fossil fuels. Ignore this issue and we'll not make a dent in the climate challenge. It's really up to us, in our homes, our businesses, and our communities, to change gears and get moving on this front.
Thanks for these suggestions Steve.
I can appreciate and agree but note that much of the electricity in the US is generated by coal. Also, Geothermal energy works well for heating in cold climates, is less efficient and effective for cooling in hotter climates, something I learned when considering it for my home in Florida.
Climate change: I'd like to know more about how corporations are stonewalling climate legislation. And how the private sector needs to step up in mitigation efforts.
Could there be a group-sourced, constantly updated, wiki-like, independent, investigative, international list (names, titles, faces, etc) of the INDIVIDUALS throughout the world who are arguably the most personally responsible for the mass deaths caused by climate change? What is it, like 50,000 people globally, maybe only 5,000 who are actively the most responsible?
I deeply appreciate your work in terms of naming names and calling out various companies and politicians in the US -- but I think what you do needs to be magnified by about 1,000x, and internationalized, which will need the help of many others around the world.
In the meantime, I'm so, so tired of the corporate media blaming end users, faceless consumers ("carbon footprint"), "voters" (hi NYTimes!), for the world's ills, which everyone who reads your newsletter knows is BS. These are top-down problems, driven by vast wealth and power, and it's time to identify and hold accountable the individuals who are most responsible. Obviously our governments and legal systems aren't and won't be doing the job.
Investigate what is going to happen to health care costs in places where women now have to be nearly dead before they can have a life-threatening pregnancy ended or a dead fetus removed from their uterus. This will affect the bottom line for employers who provide health insurance to their workers, as well as Medicaid and other programs. What will happen? Will companies stop hiring women of reproductive age since it will now cost more to insure them? Will there be a mass exodus of OB-GYNs, maternal-fetal medicine specialists, midwives and ultrasound technicians to states where they can continue (for now) to work unimpeded? Where are the American Medical Association and the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology in all this? What about the women subjected to unnecessary suffering and potentially permanent health complications, if they survive? What recourse will they have?
We are in world war III and it is climate change. The USA has the highest per capita generation of CO2. The emergency is global and affects every one of us. It affects us now, not in the future. Who is effectively finding solutions. How can we help this effort? Who is impeding?
Not composting organics, like we DON'T in Canada in my community of Haliburton, ON, robs the soil of nutrients and creates harmful methane. How to encourage this healthy circularity in our food consumption and economy?
Because the fake news and non partisan posing right wing extremists groups weren't enough to destroy our democracy, Trumps past finance chair Todd Ricketts just launched Freespoke a search engine free of liberal bias. Yup guess whatcha top story is? Hunter Biden
Why are we only trying to limit the burning of fossil fuels, when we aren't generating the cheap green electricity that will be needed to replace it? Windmills and solar panels are thirty per cent effective! Where are the new atomic plants, and why don't the oil companies want us to ask?
Between the climate, energy costs and Ukraine war, I'm still stunned there is no Manhattan Project for green energy. Imagine if we spent the last 6 months building solar and wind on every military base and government site. That would reduce carbon, reduce energy prices and bring a new scale of economy to these technologies.
Offshore wind energy holds great promise as well. One problem is getting funding passed. Another is getting necessary materials. Solar buildout is hampered by duties on Chinese materials and the issue of slave labor and coal-fired plants used to mine and make those materials.
Yes, those are challenges. But more funding would be accessible if Biden would declare a national climate emergency. It would also allow him to invoke the Defense Production Act to boost US production of materials. It’s not perfect, but the benefits of a major green energy building program would be huge.
I couldn’t agree more that sustainable energy solutions are drastically needed. There are many obstacles, and Biden wasted so much time negotiating w Joe manchin. This might provide some insight: https://prospect.org/environment/climate-of-opportunity/case-for-taking-back-solar/
The tax free status of churches
While I often blame Fox, all the non Fox networks framed the Supreme Court EPA decision as a blow to Biden, not a blow to the environment. You need to continue to hold networks and others accountable both for what they fail to report and for how they report what they do. In this case MSNBC and others were as misleading as Fox and because so many consider them more reliable, they are more dangerous.
Suggest more coverage of Catholic church ( as well as rest of tax-exempt American Christianity religious organizations) lobbying for Anti-women healthcare legislation.
Dems really do need to work on their message. And someone needs to lock Manchin in the Senate cloak room and leave his negative @$$ there. He's as bad as Moscow Mitch. we need to go on offence against the Fascist 5 on the Supreme Court and Carrot Caligula's little magats. We need the ERA, a modernized electrical grid and more unions and labor support. Income inequality is higher now than it was right before the stock market crash in '29. that needs to be addressed and remedied - now!!
What can regular people do to make a difference outside of voting (which everyone should do for all elections local and state and vote down ballot) and donating to good organization?
My group MarkersForDemocracy.org meets 3-5 times a week to write postcards to voters and chat and hear candidates and other speakers while we write. We’ve seen over 400 speakers since we got on Zoom in March 2020. Before that we wrote together in person. We also started a Giving Circle through the States Project. https://www.markersfordemocracy.org/fundraising this year supporting candidates for state legislature in Pennsylvania and Arizona. We welcome people to join us or to talk to us about what you can do. At this point we are fully on Zoom and have people joining from all over the country.
Thank you, Judd! Go get 'em!
If the Electoral College was removed the possibility of corruption, at least in the electoral arena, collapses on itself... yes it may be hard to abolish it but at least try and expose its flaws over and over. We no longer gather votes via Pony Express
Doubt an amendment would ever pass to do that. Better options are:
1) Interstate agreement to honor the popular vote https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Popular_Vote_Interstate_Compact
2) Expanding the number of House seats through an act of Congress, thereby dilluting the Senate's impact.
Keep up the superb work!! You are on the right track to save the nation!
In the 2020 NRA IRS Filing 990, there are multiple footnotes (p.46/47) regarding excess benefits provided to its executives, with the NRA asserting that it expects to receive reimbursement. Have they been received? Follow up on that and other issues regarding the NRA. Thanks for your good work.