If you qualify for TANF [Temporary Assistance for Needy Families] in Missouri, don’t try to use your benefits card at an ATM near a
Author: Gloria Shur Bilchik
Gloria Shur Bilchik is a freelance writer and community volunteer in St. Louis, Missouri. She is the editor of Occasional Planet. She views the preservation of democratic values and progressive programs as vital to making the US a humane, livable place for her children and grandchildren.
12 phrases progressives need to ditch, and what to say instead
Sadly, the 40-year campaign by conservatives to take over the political dialogue (and the political system itself) has been a success. Right-wing messaging is
Put away the flags, by Howard Zinn
Every July 4th, I think about Howard Zinn’s insightful essay on nationalism and its overused, over-hyped symbols. Like most everything written by Zinn, it’s
How to pass immigration reform, without a majority of the majority
The U.S. Senate has managed to pass an immigration reform bill. Now it goes to the House of Representatives, where conservative Republicans, obstructionists, anti-immigration
Supreme Court shreds Voting Rights Act: Political cartoonists respond
The Supreme Court has opened the floodgates: Less than a year since state legislatures, governors and secretaries of state in both the north and
Eleven-hour filibuster stops Texas abortion law…for now
I never thought I’d hear myself say this: I love Texas. Well, to be a bit clearer: I love Texas women. To clarify further:
How to be a whistle-blower
The whistleblower du jour is Edward Snowden, whose revelations about NSA snooping are getting top billing on news sites in 2013. In 2010, we
Blocking Obama: As seen by political cartoonists
It’s been a no-win for President Obama since Day 1 of his presidency, when Republican Congressional leaders [and I use that term lightly] met
NSA data-mining: Not doing anything wrong doesn’t protect you
I’m trying to sort out my thoughts and feelings about the recently revealed NSA data dragnet, in which millions of Americans’ phone and internet
Pro Publica: 5 basic things we still don’t know about NSA data-mining
If you’re like me, you haven’t quite figured out what to think about the revelation that the National Security Administration has been amassing a