Nation Conversations: New York Public Advocate Bill de Blasio

Nation Conversations: New York Public Advocate Bill de Blasio

Nation Conversations: New York Public Advocate Bill de Blasio

The Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision “will warp our democracy forever,” says de Blasio, “if we let it do so.” The challenge to progressives is to refocus and re-energize grassroots attention on the destructive role money plays in politics.

Copy Link
Facebook
X (Twitter)
Bluesky
Pocket
Email

The challenges facing progressives of late are many, but so are the avenues through which they can be tackled. New York City Public Advocate Bill De Blasio stopped by The Nation’s offices July 15 to explain some of the ways these challenges can be turned into opportunities for progressives. The left, de Blasio says, must refocus and re-energize attention around corporate money in politics and the Supreme Court’s decision in the Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission case. “That decision will warp our democracy forever if we let it do so. It’s such a horrible, beautifully written decision that it leaves us very few courses of action.” he said. “We have to demand a recalibration of our approach, and the only way that happens is through the grassroots.” Listen to De Blasio’s discussion of the tools we have at our disposal in this insightful Nation Conversation.

deBlasion The challenges facing progressives of late are many, but so are the avenues through which they can be tackled. New York City Public Advocate Bill De Blasio stopped by The Nation‘s offices July 15 to explain some of the ways these challenges can be turned into opportunities for progressives. The left, de Blasio says, must refocus and re-energize attention around corporate money in politics and the Supreme Court’s decision in the Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission case. “That decision will warp our democracy forever if we let it do so. It’s such a horrible, beautifully written decision that it leaves us very few courses of action.” he said. “We have to demand a recalibration of our approach, and the only way that happens is through the grassroots.” Listen to De Blasio’s discussion of the tools we have at our disposal in this insightful Nation Conversation.

Image Credit: Thomas Good / NLN

Support independent journalism that does not fall in line

Even before February 28, the reasons for Donald Trump’s imploding approval rating were abundantly clear: untrammeled corruption and personal enrichment to the tune of billions of dollars during an affordability crisis, a foreign policy guided only by his own derelict sense of morality, and the deployment of a murderous campaign of occupation, detention, and deportation on American streets. 

Now an undeclared, unauthorized, unpopular, and unconstitutional war of aggression against Iran has spread like wildfire through the region and into Europe. A new “forever war”—with an ever-increasing likelihood of American troops on the ground—may very well be upon us.  

As we’ve seen over and over, this administration uses lies, misdirection, and attempts to flood the zone to justify its abuses of power at home and abroad. Just as Trump, Marco Rubio, and Pete Hegseth offer erratic and contradictory rationales for the attacks on Iran, the administration is also spreading the lie that the upcoming midterm elections are under threat from noncitizens on voter rolls. When these lies go unchecked, they become the basis for further authoritarian encroachment and war. 

In these dark times, independent journalism is uniquely able to uncover the falsehoods that threaten our republic—and civilians around the world—and shine a bright light on the truth. 

The Nation’s experienced team of writers, editors, and fact-checkers understands the scale of what we’re up against and the urgency with which we have to act. That’s why we’re publishing critical reporting and analysis of the war on Iran, ICE violence at home, new forms of voter suppression emerging in the courts, and much more. 

But this journalism is possible only with your support.

This March, The Nation needs to raise $50,000 to ensure that we have the resources for reporting and analysis that sets the record straight and empowers people of conscience to organize. Will you donate today?

Ad Policy
x