Morning Links
by Douglas

Morning Links for January 28, 2015.

Yeah, man. What have those evil “Proper Leftists” ever accomplished, amirite? What a clown. Now, to the links.

The South.

  1. Eye On Williamson has a great piece up about the relationship between taxes and public services, and how Republicans have sold America a bill of goods in thinking that lower taxes can somehow assist in bringing about a more responsive public sector. It seems simple, but it is something that people fail to grasp on a regular basis, and it is killing our infrastructure.
  2. Hannah Wiegard writes for Appalachian Voices on the top five energy bills that will come up for consideration in the Virginia General Assembly this legislative session. After the scurrilous retirement of State Sen. Phil Puckett (D-Russell) gave the Republicans control of the State Senate and unified the legislative branch, Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D-VA) had to know that his veto pen would get a workout. There is no better place to start than with legislation that would leave the Commonwealth’s children and families with dirtier air and water than ever.
  3. Allie Yee describes the burgeoning power of North Carolina’s Black voters in a piece for Facing South. Black voters could certainly make the difference in 2016, but the Democratic Party should actually put forth candidates that will pursue economic justice and democracy for the state’s most vulnerable citizens. Continuing to fight on the Republicans’ ballfield of lower taxes will never bring us the victories we seek, and Black voters know how to see through bullshit.
  4. Karthik Krishnaiyer writes on the need for rules reform in the Florida Democratic Party at The Florida Squeeze. I, for one, look forward to seeing the views put forth by the blog with an eye towards progressive reform of calcified party structures that are ineffective for a South that is no longer controlled by the Democratic Party.

Labor.

  1. Aramark employees voted against a labor union at Morehead State University in Kentucky last Wednesday, according to The Morehead Times. The vote was 32-54 on the proposal to join the National Conference of Firemen and Oilers (NCFO), which is affiliated with the Service Employees International Union (SEIU). The pro-union employees, however, vow to keep fighting through some sort of minority union. Solidarity to those workers.
  2. The United States Supreme Court could effectively make the public sector right-to-work. Be afraid. Be very afraid. Then organize like hell.

The World.

  1. The election in the United Kingdom is getting interesting, with polls pointing to the need for a possible three-party alliance, reports Alberto Nardelli at The Guardian. More and more voters in the UK are rejecting the major parties, and it is not difficult to see why: Blairite Labour constantly urging a return to formless Third Way politics, the Conservatives seeking to reduce public sector funding to its lowest level since the Great Depression, and the Liberal Democrats….well I am sure they do something with the perch in the coalition government. No wonder people are opting for the nationalist parties across the UK.
  2. Just a reminder that what’s happening in Greece is awesome.
  3. Again. Greece.
  4. Could Ireland have its own Greek moment? Because, you know, Greece is awesome at the moment.