Progressive Breakfast: Dear Tony Blair: It's Not the Pitch, It's the Product.

MORNING MESSAGE

Richard Eskow

Dear Tony Blair: It’s Not the Pitch, It’s the Product.

Although Tony Blair laments the failure of the “political center,” this didn’t happen because he and his colleagues failed. It happened because they succeeded. It’s impossible to discuss the Brexit vote without first acknowledging the fundamental role that racism and xenophobia played in its outcome ... But the Leave campaign also preyed on economic fear and uncertainty ... Blair takes no responsibility for those flattened incomes or public spending cuts. He should. They’re the direct result, not only of David Cameron’s economic mismanagement, but of New Labour’s policies...

GROUNDBREAKING REPORT ON STUDENT DEBT

Consumer Reports and the nonprofit Reveal from The Center for Investigative Reporting have partnered to produce a special report series examining the nation’s growing student debt crisis, in which some 42 million people owe $1.3 trillion.

The reports explore how the crisis occurred, and what people—including parents and students—can do about it today. The education debt report has been released concurrently, with a cover story in Consumer Reports’ August issue and at RevealNews.org/studentdebt.

Over the Independence Day holiday, beginning on July 2, a special episode of Reveal will air on more than 300 public radio stations. The Reveal podcast will be available for download on Monday, July 4 on iTunes, Stitcher and other major podcast platforms.

OBAMA, SANDERS DIG IN ON TRADE

Obama defends TPP as Sanders allies move to oppose it in party platform. W. Post:“‘The prescription of withdrawing from trade deals and focusing solely on your local market, that’s the wrong medicine,’ [Obama] said … According to people with knowledge of the platform negotiations, Sanders used his post-primary meeting with the president to say he would push for the party to officially oppose the TPP. The president said he would not allow it … the full platform committee meets next weekend…”

Clinton platform committee delegate Carol Browner defends platform in Politico Magazine oped:“…of nine amendments proposed by the Sanders camp, the committee found common ground on four, adopted a substitute on one, and voted down four. That’s not obstructionism. That’s Democrats being democratic.”

Platform moves left on bank reform. The Atlantic:“Notably, the draft endorses a modern version of the Glass-Steagall Act … ‘What we are seeing is an aggressive economic populism winning out,’ said Robert Borosage, the co-director of the Campaign for America’s Future … [But the] call for Wall Street reform embraced by progressives should be seen as an indicator that the idea has widespread support, not as a promise to enact policy…”

SANDERS RETURNS TO SENATE

Sanders makes waves on Senate floor. NYT:“…Sanders has been pushing his colleagues to take on policy fights that helped propel his base’s passion and gave him new gravitas among Democrats. In addition to opposing the measure to aid Puerto Rico, he is working hard to kill trade agreements. He is threatening a bill that would govern the labeling of genetically modified food … he is still working to figure out how to spend his capital in a caucus where he lacks many close friends … ‘In our caucus,’ [Sen. Chuck] Schumer said, ‘the general view is that Bernie is a constructive force.'”

Sanders eyes health committee chairmanship. The Hill:“Bernie Sanders wants to chair the Health Committee next year if Democrats take over the Senate. There’s one problem. Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.), a strong ally of Hillary Clinton, may not give up the position.”

WHAT'S NEXT FOR THE PROGRESSIVE MOVEMENT

People’s Action co-director George Goehl lays out “What’s Next for the Progressive Movement” in the American Prospect:“The role of progressive individuals and organizations now is to outline the big campaigns we want to drive through cities and states and up into the national discourse. The issues include tuition-free college, a massive green infrastructure program, health care for all, ending mass incarceration and criminalization, and progressive taxation … we must aim to create moments that force people—especially powerbrokers and elected officials—to publicly take sides on the issues we care about.”

Shifts in African-American populations altering political landscape. NYT:“Black political power is declining in cities across the country, including Oakland, St. Louis, Cleveland and Atlanta — even as African-Americans are gaining majority status in an increasing number of suburbs. At the same time, African-American emigration to the South has started to weaken Republican control of some deep red states.”

TRUMP V. CHAMBER

Trump attacks Chamber of Commerce. NYT:“…Donald J. Trump escalated his attacks on the U.S. Chamber of Commerce on Wednesday, saying it was ‘totally controlled by the special interest groups.’ ‘They’re a special interest that wants to have the deals that they want to have,’ he told a packed arena at a rally here, to whoops and cheers. ‘They want to have T.P.P., the Trans-Pacific Partnership, one of the worst deals…'”

Trump has profited from trade deals. NYT:“…he has been heavily — and proudly — reliant on foreign labor in the name of putting profits, rather than America, first. From cheap neckties to television sets, Mr. Trump has benefited from some of the trade practices he now scorns.”

BREAKFAST SIDES

Senate GOP caves on global climate fund. The Hill:“The Senate Appropriations Committee on Wednesday adopted a $500 million spending package for the Green Climate Fund, an international climate change adaptation program. Members approved the funding, via an amendment from Sens. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Mark Kirk(R-Ill.), Susan Collins (R-Maine) and others, on a voice vote, despite strong Republican opposition to the measure.”

Senate clears Puerto Rico aid measure, Obama to sign. NYT:“… the legislation would allow the island’s government to restructure its $72 billion total debt so it can manage payments, and create a bipartisan oversight board mostly of outsiders to guide what is sure to be a painful recovery process … Senator Bernie Sanders, Democrat of Vermont, compared the board to ‘a colonial master’ for the island.”

Progressive Breakfast is a daily morning email highlighting news stories of interest to activists. Progressive Breakfast is a project of the Campaign for America's Future.more »