Some of the most prominent progressive members of Congress are backing off the idea they'll focus on abolishing the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency, a proposal many of them pushed during the midterm campaign. At the Congressional Progressive Caucus' first press conference since Democrats won control of the House, leaders fielded questions about whether they would continue to push legislation to get rid of ICE. "We are absolutely still going to be pressing that," said Democratic Rep. Mark Pocan of Wisconsin, the caucus co-chair. "However, I think our main goal of getting out of the gate is going to be the issues that we ran on across all districts — around healthcare, around good-paying jobs, around dealing with the culture of corruption." Pocan, who in July released a statement saying ICE must be abolished, added, "I still think many of us still have issues of immigration reform as a very, very high priority." The slogan "Abolish ICE" became … [Read more...] about Progressive Dems back off “Abolish ICE” at first meeting since midterms
Abolish
Was abolishing Right to Buy in Cardiff the right thing to do?
It is a debate that has winners and losers on both sides. As Cardiff, one of the least-affordable cities to buy a home in across the UK, scraps right to buy, we've spoken to people on both sides. For many would-be homeowners, the Right to Buy their council homes was a lifeline - offering them a chance to buy a property below the spiralling market values. Cardiff is one of the least affordable cities for house buying in Britain, with house prices more than seven times the average wage, the council has said. But since Right to Buy was introduced in 1980 - social housing stock across has declined significantly - making it harder for people to get the social housing they badly need. The equivalent of 45 per cent of the number of council homes in 1981 have been lost due to Right to Buy, according to Welsh Government. Many councils did not build enough homes to keep up with the properties they were selling off. Councils such as Cardiff, Swansea and the Vale of Glamorgan are now building … [Read more...] about Was abolishing Right to Buy in Cardiff the right thing to do?
Colorado votes to abolish slavery after proponent receives burning campaign fliers
DENVER – Colorado voters have approved changing the language in the state constitution so that it no longer allows slavery as a form of punishment. The vote came a day after someone left a pile of burning pamphlets on the front porch of the ballot measure's leading proponent. CBS Denver reports that Amendment A passed, which means Article II, Section 26 of Colorado's constitution will be changed. It had read: There "shall never be in this state either slavery or involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime, whereof the party shall have been duly convicted." It will now read: "There shall never be in this state either slavery or involuntary servitude." Voters almost passed the amendment two years ago. But the wording was so unclear that it confused many people about whether they were voting for or against slavery, said Jumoke Emery with Abolish Slavery Colorado. "I hope that this puts forth the message that our past doesn't have to be our future, that by and large we … [Read more...] about Colorado votes to abolish slavery after proponent receives burning campaign fliers
NATO Should be Abolished and It’s Outrageous It Even Exists
Sputnik discussed Stoltenberg's statement with Rick Rozoff, manager of the website Stop NATO. Sputnik: Jens Stoltenberg says the alliance is ready to continue a dialogue on the INF. How much does this position reflect that in Washington? © Sputnik / Alexey FilippovRussia Backs Making INF Treaty Multilateral to Include NATO, China – EnvoyRick Rozoff: Perhaps a slight difference in emphasis of phraseology and so forth, in essence it's the same. Let me quote NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg's statement, he says "the United States is in compliance with its obligations under the INF treaty" and so forth; however, Stoltenberg goes on to say that "no arms control arrangement can be effective if it is only respected by one side," then goes on to state that "allies," mainly the 29 members of NATO, "have repeatedly expressed serious concerns about the new Russian missile system" and so forth. … [Read more...] about NATO Should be Abolished and It’s Outrageous It Even Exists
EU could postpone abolishing time change until 2021
Plans to abolish the time change between summer and winter in the European Union have been put on hold after EU members called for more time to debate the measure. In September, EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker pledged to stop the time change by the end of his mandate in 2019. Brussels backed the move and said the time adjustment could be abolished by March of next year. The announcement surprised many, particularly since EU Transportation Commissioner Violeta Bulc had just weeks earlier earmarked 2021 as the soonest possible date for the practice to end. It would be frankly absurd to have a different time in each EU state Czech Transportation Minister Dan Tok Now, following a meeting with EU transportation ministers on Monday in the Austrian city of Graz, the EU has indicated that the twice-yearly ritual may not be abolished until 2021. “If we choose to do it in 2019, like the Commission suggests, we will not have the support of the majority of member … [Read more...] about EU could postpone abolishing time change until 2021