MORNING MESSAGE
The
Republican-controlled Congress returns from August recess today, having put off
its homework for as long as it possibly could ... When voters gave Republicans
full control of the Congress last November, Republican leaders promised them a
professionally run institution. “First thing I need to do is get the Senate back
to normal,” said Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell ... “We need to return
to regular order. We need to get committees working again. We need to recommit
to a rational, functional appropriations process.” That promise is already
broken.
Union Vote In Play
Hillary
Clinton and Bernie Sanders angle for AFSCME endorsement. NYT: “Mrs. Clinton
presented herself as a proven bulwark against [Republican anti-union] efforts
and also promised to crack down on wage theft … Mr. Sanders said he possessed
‘maybe the strongest pro-union voting record over the last 25 years than any
member of Congress.'”
Biden
rallies AFL-CIO at Pittsburgh Labor Day event. W. Post: “It’s no secret that
the formidable labor unions in Pittsburgh would like to see Biden … mount
another bid for the White House … In the two addresses he gave Monday, Biden
struck a personal note, talking about how labor unions had given him a leg up in
life and how he believed they would be the backbone of America’s future
development.”
But
few endorsements yet. The Hill: “Many of the nation’s top unions are sitting
on the sidelines, content to let Clinton sweat it out while they withhold
endorsements. Some labor officials are frustrated with Clinton for not coming to
their aid in the fight over trade legislation in Congress, while others are
skeptical of her commitment to their issues.”
Obama
marks Labor Day with executive order on paid leave. Bloomberg: “President
Barack Obama signed his latest executive order on Labor Day, which extends the
number of paid sick leave days mandated for federal contractors … federal
contractors will now earn one hour of leave for every 30 hours worked, with a
cap at seven days of paid time off per year…”
Time
explores how Sanders is leading NH: “Much of Sanders’ support in the New
Hampshire is a byproduct of his long career in nearby Vermont … Sanders has also
campaigned hard in New Hampshire, visiting the state for multi-day swings at
least three times since the beginning of August … Staff who have come on in New
Hampshire say that the energy for Sanders is already there, the question is how
to harness it.”
Hillary
Clinton lays out campaign finance reform plan. Politico: “The policy
platform … calls for the overturning of 2010’s Citizens United v FEC decision
that paved the way for the creation of super PACs; the implementation of a more
rigorous political spending disclosure regime; and a new public matching system
for small donations to presidential and congressional campaigns … Clinton also
says she would sign an executive order that would require federal contractors to
disclose their own political spending.”
Congress Back, Faces Shutdown
Congress
returns with “just 10 legislative work days to solve the shutdown crisis.”
Politico: “…the dynamics are so fluid and passions high that no one truly
knows how it will wind up on Sept. 30 … Yet to be answered is how far Ted Cruz
and other Republicans — powered by conservative outrage over Planned Parenthood
— are willing to push Congress to the brink…”
Pro-shutdown
caucus doesn’t have the votes yet. The Hill: “…19 pledges falls short of the
maximum number of defections GOP leaders can afford without needing help from
Democrats to pass a spending bill. Assuming all 246 House Republicans are
present to vote, GOP leaders can lose up to 28…”
Is
this it for Boehner? Politico: “…consider what he faces this fall: a
quixotic but determined fight to defund Planned Parenthood, a potential
government shutdown, a deadline to raise the federal debt ceiling or risk
default, and a contentious showdown over highway spending. Boehner’s aides say
they expect a vote to oust him, formally known as a motion to vacate the
chair.”
Progressive
Breakfast is a daily morning email highlighting news stories of interest to
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