MORNING
MESSAGE
Greening
the Global Economy: A Plan for Climate Change – And for Jobs
This
is a fight we can win: a serious fight for public investment – to retool our
energy economy and the jobs of the future. Americans care about good jobs. Most
people also intuitively understand that shifting from a carbon, pollution-based
energy system to a clean renewable energy system will require spending money ...
In his great new book, “Greening the Global Economy,” economist Robert Pollin
demonstrates that modest but steady public investment in green energy production
and conservation (over the next several decades) is absolutely necessary in
order to get our economy operating at close to zero carbon pollution.
Bernie, Hillary Look Beyond Iowa
Big
Bernie rallies in MN yesterday. W. Post: “A crowd of more than 14,539 people
packed an exhibit hall and overflow room in [St. Paul] … gathering just hours
after an estimated 6,000 people turned out … in Duluth … Sanders’s decision to
divert from Iowa to a Super Tuesday state underscored a growing confidence by
his campaign that he can run a competitive campaign against Clinton well into
the nomination calendar.”
Both
Sanders and Clinton spending time out of Iowa this week. MSNBC: “Sanders’
campaign is trying to build a sense of enthusiasm for their candidate in part by
highlighting the large crowds that come out to see him … Clinton’s campaign is
fueled by the money she collects at high-dollar fundraisers, and the cash flow
can’t stop just because of the caucuses …”
Sanders
faces challenge getting college students to leave college towns and help earn
delegates statewide. Politico: “Logistically, students said they’re
challenged just trying to squeeze the caucus into their otherwise busy
schedules, never mind adding a late-night winter road trip before Tuesday
morning classes.”
Hillary
discusses Social Security changes. WSJ: “Democrat Hillary Clinton said
Tuesday that she would consider subjecting investment income to Social Security
taxes, and would consider applying the tax to higher wages as a way to extend
solvency of the program and expand benefits for the poorest seniors. Still, she
stopped well short of endorsing plans backed by rivals Bernie Sanders and Martin
O’Malley for an across-the-board benefit increase, and she didn’t commit to the
tax increases on the wealthy that her rivals support.”
Sanders
and Clinton could raise revenue through executive action. Bloomberg:
“…spokesmen for both … said this week that they could take executive action,
bypassing Congress, to go after a shorter list: the carried-interest tax
advantage that investment-fund managers receive, corporate inversions that
companies use to move their tax addresses offshore and — in Sanders’s case, at
least — a few other parts of the tax code that benefit high-income
taxpayers.”
Obama
and Sanders meet in the WH today. NYT: “A statement by Mr. Obama’s spokesman
said there would be ‘no formal agenda’ for the meeting between the two men.”
Trump Ducks Debate
Trump
to boycott final debate before IOWA to protest Fox’s Megyn Kelly. NYT
quotes: “Let’s see how much money Fox is going to make on the debate without
me. It’s time that somebody plays grown-up.”
Ted
Cruz tries to hold Trump off in Iowa. NYT: “…while Mr. Cruz has won praise
for effectively positioning himself in a volatile race, his campaign is being
tested as never before, and it is showing signs of strain … Mr. Cruz’s
constellation of super PACs — an array of groups that often pursue different
messages, frustrating some on the campaign — has grappled with how to
proceed.”
Breakfast Sides
Corporate
lobbies seek to avoid transparency. Time: “Three of the nation’s leading
trade associations have a message for their member corporations: Resist
activists who demand you disclose more details about your politicking than the
law requires. ‘The strategy of pressuring companies to voluntarily disclose the
details of their spending on public policy engagement for the purpose of
reducing that engagement is, in fact, their ultimate goal,’ wrote U.S. Chamber
of CommercePresident and CEO Tom Donohue, Business Roundtable President John
Engler and National Association of Manufacturers President and CEO Jay
Timmons…”
U.S.
Conference of Mayors backs TPP. The Hill: “During their winter meeting in
Washington last week, the U.S. Conference of Mayors adopted a compact calling on
the presidential candidates ‘to join with us in supporting … the Trans Pacific
Partnership.’ A core group of Democratic mayors — Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn,
Little Rock Mayor Mark Stodola, New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu, Atlanta Mayor
Kasim Reed and Christopher Cabaldon of West Sacramento, Calif. — vowed to
canvass Capitol Hill to win votes for the TPP.”
WH
seeks to expand school lunch access. W. Post: “The Obama administration will
announce new plans on Wednesday to launch a pilot program aimed at increasing
poor children’s access to food through the National School Lunch Program. The
new pilot program will allow participating states to use Medicaid data to
automatically certify students for free and reduced-price school
lunches.”
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
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