If the Democrats Don’t Kill the Filibuster, They’re Screwed
The Democratic Party’s leadership must immediately kill the filibuster and move key legislation — because the GOP is one heartbeat away from reclaiming control of the Senate.
141 Articles by: Julia Rock
Julia Rock is a reporter for the Lever.
The FBI Is Now Investigating Cuomo’s Corporate Immunity Law
Last year, we reported that New York governor Andrew Cuomo trying to shield killer nursing home execs from criminal liability for actions during the pandemic. Now the FBI is probing how the corporate immunity law came about.
The New COVID-19 Relief Bill Is Good, But Not Good Enough
The good news: in passing the American Rescue Plan, Democrats are finally rejecting the logic of austerity. The bad news: the party did not use the bill to secure essential long-term economic protections for Americans, nor do anything that would anger the wealthy.
Corporations Could Soon Be Forced to Disclose Their Climate Change Denial Funding
Companies have long been able to get away with funding climate change denial in secret. A new SEC rule could drag those dark-money donations into the open.
On a $15 Minimum Wage, Bernie Was on the Right Side of History
Eight Democrats joined with Republicans yesterday to prevent Bernie Sanders from moving to add a $15 minimum wage to the COVID relief bill. History will not absolve them.
We Need a $15 Minimum Wage, Not Excuses
Dozens of congresspeople are pressing Vice President Kamala Harris to ignore the Senate parliamentarian and fulfill her $15 minimum wage promise. The Biden administration has no one to blame but themselves for inaction.
Corporations Are Making Billions in Profits — Yet American Workers Have No Paid Sick Leave
The United States is the only industrialized country in the world not to federally mandate paid sick leave. Walmart, McDonald’s, and other giant corporations are trying to keep it that way.
Private Equity’s Ownership of Nursing Homes Is Killing Senior Citizens
A new study reveals some grim consequences of Wall Street’s move into senior care: between 2004 and 2016, more than 20,000 Americans died as a consequence of living in nursing homes run by private equity firms.
Andrew Cuomo Declared War on Ron Kim for Telling the Truth
New York legislator Ron Kim confronted Governor Andrew Cuomo over his move to give nursing home executives immunity for their deadly negligence during COVID. Cuomo responded with threats of retribution. We talk to Kim about the episode.
Mainstream Media Really Doesn’t Want You to Get a $2,000 Check
Mainstream news outlets like the Washington Post are working overtime to argue against the $2,000 survival check we were promised by the Democrats.
A New Bill Proposed by Progressive NY Legislators Would Punish CEOs Funding Dark Money Groups
In response to the Capitol riot, new legislation proposed by New York Assembly members Ron Kim and socialist Zohran Mamdani would divest public money from firms whose executives bankroll shadowy far-right groups.
COVID-19 Vaccine Developers Want to Keep Getting Billions in Public Money With No Strings Attached
Drug companies have received over $10 billion from the US government for COVID-19 vaccine production. Yet those companies weren’t required to offer their vaccines at fair prices or share intellectual property rights — and they want to keep it that way.
Republicans Are Trying to Gut the Next Round of COVID-19 Relief Checks
Republican senators are offering a new COVID-19 relief framework that would limit survival checks to $1,000 and cut off aid to millions more Americans — and President Joe Biden seems open to some of the GOP’s restrictions.
BlackRock and Wall Street Firms Like Them Are No Friends of the Environment
BlackRock is being depicted as an environmental hero for its recent commitment to fight climate change — at the same time the Wall Street firm undermines climate action and helps companies hide dark money political spending.
Read My Lips: $2,000 Checks for All, Now
Democrats promised to provide a near-universal benefit of $2,000 checks. Billionaire-owned media is trying to convince them to ignore history and gut their proposal — a move that would be politically disastrous and worsen Americans’ already brutal suffering.
Joe Biden Has Preserved Key Ethics Loopholes for New Appointees
Joe Biden’s new ethics order will limit one revolving door loophole between government and lobbying — but not the loopholes Biden’s own cabinet picks used to make their fortunes.
Joe Biden Lifted His Health Care Plan From Insurance Industry Lobbyists
Instead of pushing a promised public health care option or expanding Medicare or any of the other health reforms the United States desperately needs, Joe Biden’s health care reform draws from proposals from for-profit health insurance companies.
Corporate Democrats Want Tax Breaks for the Rich — Not $2,000 Survival Checks
Corporate Democrats are backing off a chance to push for a new round of $2,000 survival checks. And some of them are even floating tax breaks for the wealthy instead. We should rally against this backsliding.
New York Is Weighing Divestment From the Capitol Riot’s GOP Enablers
New York legislators are requesting a review of pension investments flowing to Wall Street firms whose executives funded groups that boosted the Republicans who tried to overturn the election.
The Giant Corporate Giant Slush Fund Bankrolling the Extremist GOP
Corporations are being lauded for halting PAC donations to the Republicans after the Capitol riot — but they are not shutting down the $500 million pool of cash that bankrolled authoritarian extremists.