Conservative Judicial Activism Must Strengthen Health Care Implementation

On Monday, January 31st, a second federal court ruled against the Affordable Care Act (ACA). A Florida judge opined that the individual responsibility provision was unconstitutional and therefore made the entire Act invalid. The White House and reform supporters were quick to point out that two other courts and numerous judicial scholars hold a contraryContinue reading “Conservative Judicial Activism Must Strengthen Health Care Implementation”

What Health Care Repeal Would Mean for People of Color

If you woke up tomorrow and discovered that you were a Member of Congress, what would be your first order of business? The economy is in the tank, so maybe you would endeavor to create a jobs program to curb unemployment. Poverty is on the rise, so you could consider options for strengthening the country’sContinue reading “What Health Care Repeal Would Mean for People of Color”

Main Street Alliance of Washington Members Meet with President Obama

On Tuesday, August 17, all eyes were on Seattle’s Pioneer Square as President Obama was in town stumping for Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) in her critical primary race. Obama and Murray held a private meeting at a cafĂ© with three small business owners to discuss the economy, as well as what could be done toContinue reading “Main Street Alliance of Washington Members Meet with President Obama”

Federal Judge Rules Against Arizona Immigration Law

Today, Wednesday, July 28, 2010 Judge Susan Bolton ruled that Arizona’s controversial law SB1070 does indeed overstep the state’s boundary to enforce federal immigration law. The ruling will put an injunction on the most egregious provisions of the law, while other provisions remain intact. The ruling is a major victory for the immigrant rights movement,Continue reading “Federal Judge Rules Against Arizona Immigration Law”

House Takes First Step To Increase Indian Health Services Funding

The average cost of mainstream health insurance plans is approximately 40% greater than the Indian Health Service (IHS) funding level for American Indian and Alaska Native people. This funding gap limits health care services and contributes to the lingering disparities of death and disease among Indians. The first step needed to redress this shortfall wasContinue reading “House Takes First Step To Increase Indian Health Services Funding”

Congress Passes Financial Reform Bill!

On Thursday, July 15, Congress passed the strongest financial reform bill since the Great Depression, tightening restrictions on banks and Wall Street, cracking down on lending practices, and expanding consumer protections in order to prevent a repeat of the 2008 meltdown, the consequences from which we are still reeling. President Obama will sign the billContinue reading “Congress Passes Financial Reform Bill!”

A reaction to President Obama’s long awaited stand on comprehensive immigration reform

On Thursday, after weeks of increased pressure from immigrant rights advocates President Obama addressed a crowd at American University on the need to fix our broken immigration system. The speech outlined his commitment to a comprehensive immigration reform that provides a path to citizenship for the millions of undocumented immigrant families currently in the U.S.

Maine Small Business Owners Take on Big Insurance

Big Insurance and its Bag of Tricks The ink may have dried on the federal health care reform bill, but the health insurance industry isn’t packing up its bag of tricks and going quietly into the night. Instead, insurers actually appear to be stepping up their attempts to game the system, seeking to exploit theContinue reading “Maine Small Business Owners Take on Big Insurance”

NWFCO Celebrates New Health Care Law!

I’m signing [this health reform bill] for 11-year-old Marcelas Owens, who’s also here. Marcelas lost his mom to an illness. And she didn’t have insurance and couldn’t afford the care that she needed. So in her memory he has told her story across America so that no other children have to go through what hisContinue reading “NWFCO Celebrates New Health Care Law!”

Norm Pflanz: Marching Toward Immigration Reform

While Congress was finishing debate on the historical health care reform bill, hundreds of thousands of immigrants and immigrant allies marched on the nation’s Capitol to demand another piece of critical progressive reform: Comprehensive Immigration Reform. Many of NWFCO’s partners participated in this incredible show of optimism and solidarity, including Nebraska Appleseed.