MOMocrats

The media is excited about the 2016 election: A day doesn't go by without a breathless report about the possible candidacies of Jeb Bush, Rand Paul, Ted Cruz and other Republicans. But what about the Democrats? Hillary Clinton is all but coronated as the nominee, with many progressives trying to draft Elizabeth Warren (who says she's not running) and only Bernie Sanders talking seriously about opposing her. MOMocrats Cynthia Liu and Donna Schwartz Mills both feel an uncontested primary is bad for the party and the country -- but for very different reasons. Also: a report on ESEA, the reauthorization of the law formerly known as No Child Left Behind Political discussion from the progressive point of view by the MOMocrats. Produced by Engender Media Group.

Follow us on BlueSky

@socalmom.bsky.social
@karoli.bsky.social
@AlizaWrites.bsky.social

Special K12 News Network discussion with United Opt Out's co-leaders, Peggy Robertson and Morna McDermott. Why is the impulse to opt chidlren out of standardized tests sweeping the nation at the moment? Because it's spring testing season. Some states have been burdened with giving the old standardized test and the new PARCC or SBAC Common Core computer-based end of year test in the same year. It's the straw that broke the camel's back, and parents from all over the political spectrum are saying, "Enough!" FInd out how to opt your child out of the tests safely using federal and state laws that protect your right to do so, and see what alternatives there are to standardized tests that ensure the quality work your child does is also assessed with high quality measures. Original podcast date 4/16/14.

Follow us on BlueSky

@socalmom.bsky.social
@karoli.bsky.social
@AlizaWrites.bsky.social

"Is there a shot that will inoculate you against the stupid things politicians say?" wonder the MOMocrats, as Republicans like Chris Christie and Rand Paul raise hackles in their support of families who choose not to vaccinate -- eyebrow raising in the wake of a measles outbreak that has now infected some 100 individuals. Also: The House repeals Obamacare - yet again and more. MOMocrats Karoli and Donna Schwartz Mills discuss the vaxxer debates and other political news of the week, from a progressive point of view. Produced by Engender Media Group.

Follow us on BlueSky

@socalmom.bsky.social
@karoli.bsky.social
@AlizaWrites.bsky.social

President Obama's approval ratings are higher than they've been in a couple of years -- and still rising, a trend MOMocrat Karoli credits to an unconstrained President who doesn't have to run any more campaigns (because he won both of them)... and an economy that has finally turned around to the point where more Americans do feel better off than they did in 2009. Karoli and Donna Schwartz Mills also talk about the Clown Car Express, which stopped at a little gathering in Iowa this week and the Koch Brothers plan to spend nearly $1 billion on Republican candidates in 2016. Political discussion from the progressive POV, hosted by the MOMocrats. Produced by Engender Media Group

Follow us on BlueSky

@socalmom.bsky.social
@karoli.bsky.social
@AlizaWrites.bsky.social

Last night, President Obama appeared to have a new sense of ease as he delivered his sixth State of the Union address. After all, as he noted, he's run his last campaign... and he won both of them. MOMocrats Karoli, Cynematic and Donna Schwartz Mills discuss the speech from the progressive POV: the President's agenda, and the Republican response. Will we get equal pay for women, a raise in the minimum wage, paid leave, subsidized childcare, new infrastructure projects or anything else proposed by the President? Not likely... but the Republican response made clear that this Congress will give us a lot of Koch Brothers pet issues and anti-abortion measures. Produced by Engender Media Group.

Follow us on BlueSky

@socalmom.bsky.social
@karoli.bsky.social
@AlizaWrites.bsky.social

The terrorist attack in Paris last week was a horrific reminder of how vulnerable we all are to atrocities committed by small bands of determined criminals. It's a shame that our lawmakers and pundits seize upon these events to create political atrocities of their own. MOMocats Cynematic, Karoli and Donna Schwartz Mills discuss the mischief undertaken by Congress while we were distracted by the events in Paris, the manufactured outrage over the President's non-appearance at Sunday's unity rally. They also discuss the nature of satire and look ahead to election 2016. Political discussion from the progressive point of view, hosted by the MOMocrats. Produced by Engender Media Group.

Follow us on BlueSky

@socalmom.bsky.social
@karoli.bsky.social
@AlizaWrites.bsky.social

If you can't banish people outright, then you can try to erase them from students' minds. That's exactly what happened in Tucson Unified School District in Arizona, when conservatives ipassed an anti-immigrant racial profiling law, SB1070 that in effect targeted Latinos. At the same time, right-wing activists succeeded in passing a law banning the teeaching of Mexican American Studies, saying that a highly successful TUSD program that taught Chicano/Latiino history and culture to all students in the largely Hispanic district was instead harmful and divisive. The law, HB 2281, bans instruction that encourages "ethnic solidarity" among other things. Mind you, to begin with the ethnic studies courses were part of a federal court order to address historic and systemic racism in Arizona's education system.The outrage over free speech rights of teachers and students is what prompted writer and teacher Tony Diaz to "smuggle" books by Latino authors out of his home state of Texas and into Arizona. He has been reporting on and organizing the efforts of free speech activists, ethnic studies activists, and students and teachers fighting for a relevant curriculum ever since.TUSD high school student Maya Arce is a plaintiff who filed in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals to overtun this Arizona law on grounds that it's unconstitutional. On January 12, 2015, she will testify and urge the Ninth Circuit to protect her First Amendment rights and the rights of other Arizona students and overturn this ignorant, bigoted, and narrow-minded law.Background, go here.More on Tony Diaz here and Librotraficante here.

Follow us on BlueSky

@socalmom.bsky.social
@karoli.bsky.social
@AlizaWrites.bsky.social