By Stephen Holmes

Campaign For Our Communities brings together community groups, municipal organizations, and labor unions to accomplish what seems like an impossible task: convincing Massachusetts' legislators to raise taxes. What is surprising is they are making inroads – through good old fashioned grassroots efforts. While Campaign For Our Communities have been organizing for a while, they recently burst onto the front pages with a massive lobby day and rally led by Governor Deval Patrick. While the Governor and Campaign For Our Communities are pushing wide ranging revenue plans, the Speaker of the House, Robert DeLeo, prefers a more limited plan that focuses on transportation infrastructure first. We sat down to speak with Andi Mullin, Director of Campaign For Our Communities, to find out more, and understand how they plan to achieve their aims.

First Retirement, Next Stop Healthcare!

Brought to You by the Firms and Banks that Brought Us The Great Recession!

By Stephen Holmes

One of the biggest changes in worker benefits over the last 30 years has been the shift from defined benefit retirement plans (i.e. pensions) to defined contribution retirement plans (IRAs). This shift was sold to workers as a way to give them more control over their finances. Funds that had previously been allocated to company retirement plans would be given directly to employees who could invest the money themselves -  instead of entrusting them to a pension fund manager.

As the Pilgrims predated the Founding Fathers, so did the consumer precede the occupier.

Daniel Church interviews the first occupiers : those who camp out to score 20-30% off and grab BOGO deals on Black Friday. Church gets up close and personal, asking these loyal American consumers how – and why - they dedicate their time and effort to securing such bargains. A topic worthy of exploration. Counterpunch