Progressive Breakfast: Is Back-to-School More Expensive This Year? Yes, and Here's Why

MORNING MESSAGE

Jeff Bryant

Is Back-to-School More Expensive This Year? Yes, and Here’s Why

Parents getting their children ready to go back to school may be dismayed at the long and pricey school supply lists they're getting from their local schools. There's a reason for that.

Emanuel Sues to Defend Chicago’s Sanctuary Status

Chicago Sues Justice Department Over Efforts to Deny Funding to Sanctuary Cities. NBC:“Mayor Rahm Emanuel announced Sunday that the City of Chicago will file a federal lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Justice over efforts to block funding to sanctuary cities. ‘Chicago will not be blackmailed into changing our values, and we are and will remain a welcoming city,' Emanuel said in a released statement… “The City of Chicago will continue to stand up to President Trump and his Justice Department to ensure that their misguided policies do not threaten the safety of our residents.'”

Chicago Bail Reform Victory

In Chicago and beyond, bail reformers win big in fight to end money bail. TruthOut:“Cook County, which includes Chicago and the surrounding suburbs, is poised to become the largest jurisdiction in the country to stop incarcerating people pretrial, solely because they cannot post money bail. Thanks in large part to a sustained push by activists over the past several years, the Cook County Circuit Court’s Chief Judge has announced a new order that instructs judges making bail decisions to impose monetary bail only in amounts that people can pay. If judges follow the order, it could lead to the end of money bail in Cook County, setting a historic precedent on an issue that impacts hundreds of thousands of people around the country.”

Minnesota Mosque Bombed

Bombing of a Minnesota mosque leaves Muslims concerned. LA Times:“error tore through a suburban Minneapolis community on Saturday after the bombing of a mosque, amplifying growing concerns among some Muslims who have felt targeted nationwide in recent months… Authorities say they believe an improvised explosive device — also known as an IED — was to blame for the blast at the mosque, which primarily serves the area’s large Somali community.”

No Rest for GOP in August Recess

Congressional recess, full plate keep the heat on GOP lawmakers. WSJ:“Republicans plan to use the next four weeks away from Washington making a public case for a sweeping rewrite of the tax code, an ambitious legislative undertaking they hope will heal divisions that opened when the party’s signature health-care bill collapsed. But at home in their districts, they face pressures that could make it hard to focus on taxes… And before they can do anything, lawmakers face a load of time-sensitive fiscal business: hashing out a budget, funding the government and raising the federal debt limit.”

Health Debate May Stall GOP Tax Rollback

Tax writers see peril in Trump’s Obamacare persistence. Politico:“Republicans acknowledge that the aggressive timeline they have set up for overhauling the tax code this fall leaves them little room for error. There could be one problem with that: Obamacare isn’t going away. President Donald Trump has dropped hints that he might stop the Affordable Care Act’s cost-sharing reduction payments, through which federal funds flow to insurance companies to keep down coverage costs for low-income people… That’s left key Senate tax writers frustrated that there’s potentially another issue to take precious time away from their tax reform efforts.”

Progressive Breakfast is a daily morning email highlighting news stories of interest to activists. Progressive Breakfast and OurFuture.org are projects of People's Action. more »