David Sirota is an awardwinning
investigative journalist and an In These Times senior editor. He served as speech writer for Bernie Sanders’ 2020 campaign. Follow him on Twitter @davidsirota.
Viewpoint
David Sirota: The Democratic Party’s Tyranny of Decorum Helped Sink Bernie
Sanders could have gone harder against Biden, but ultimately it was the establishment that stood in his way.
David Sirota
Viewpoint
Should General Electric Clean Up its Pollution in New York? Gov. Andrew Cuomo Isn’t Sure.
The New York governor is being pressured to make General Electric finish its cleanup of the Hudson River.
David Sirota
Viewpoint
Under Obama Administration, Federal Prosecution of White-Collar Crime Hits 20-Year Low
Prosecutions have fallen 36 percent since the Clinton years despite calls from Democratic presidential candidates for more pressure on Wall Street
David Sirota
Viewpoint
Joe Biden’s Bankruptcy Bill Could Complicate His Presidential Run
Elizabeth Warren has called out the current Vice President in the past.
David Sirota
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Even One of the Koch Brothers Thinks We Need To End Corporate Welfare
Charles Koch argued for an end to preferential treatment for corporations—but did he mean it?
David Sirota
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Suddenly, Hillary Clinton Is a Critic of the TPP
After years of support for the trade deal, Clinton has seemingly backed off, as part of her newfound populism.
David Sirota
Viewpoint
Gov. Scott Walker’s Economic Development Record in Wisconsin Has Been a Scandal-Wracked Failure
Walker's development record consists of giving taxpayer dollars to his friends—while Wisconsin's economy has remained in the toilet.
David Sirota
Viewpoint
The Other 2016 Presidential Candidates Are Saying Things That Are Basically As Crazy As Donald Trump
Trump is not the only presidential hopeful willing to make utterly mind-boggling statements.
David Sirota
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How the Trans-Pacific Partnership Will Hand Corporations the Reins to Our Government
Provisions of the trade agreement could provide corporations with even greater influence over domestic policy decisions.
David Sirota
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Jeb Bush’s Presidential Announcement Was Simultaneously Audacious and Underwhelming
Bush's presidential campaign announcement was high on the rhetoric. Unfortunately, it was also inconsistent with everything we already know about Jeb Bush.
David Sirota
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Two Years After Snowden’s Leaks, Little Has Changed in Obama’s Approach to Transparency
The public and even Congress are acting against mass surveillance. When will the President get the memo?
David Sirota
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Can Jeb Bush Separate Himself From the Bush Legacy?
If Jeb Bush wants to distance himself from the family name, he needs to reassess his brother's actions in Iraq.
David Sirota
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The $165 Billion Question for Hillary Clinton
When 20 foreign governments gave billions to the Clinton Foundation, were they expecting—and did they receive—quid pro quo arms deals from the State Department?
David Sirota
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Amtrak’s Spectrum Gap
The main reason for the derailment? Amtrak failed to acquire broadcast rights to send automatic safety communications.
David Sirota
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Why Legal Weed Is the Future
Despite a confusing legal landscape, the marijuana economy keeps growing.
David Sirota
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Chris Christie Is Facing Yet Another Investigation
At issue is whether Christie's officials have lined Wall Street's pockets with the retirement savings of teachers, firefighters, police officers and other public sector workers.
David Sirota
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In Defense of Hillary Clinton, Democrats Embrace ‘Citizens United’
Why are prominent Democrats suddenly championing the court ruling?
David Sirota
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Cities and States Across the Country Are Paying Massive Secret Fees to Wall Street
Massive payouts to Wall Street are happening at the very moment politicians are demanding big cuts to retirees' pension benefits.
David Sirota
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The Two Competing Visions for the Future of the Democratic Party
A change within the Democratic Party toward fairness and equality for the middle class has to start at the top.
David Sirota
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The SEC’s Danger of Regulatory Capture
How the "cozying up" at the SEC is just another example of regulatory capture.
David Sirota
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Why Did Gov. Chris Christie Settle New Jersey’s Pollution Lawsuit Against Exxon Mobil?
One possible answer is simple: money—more specifically, campaign cash.
David Sirota
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When It Comes to Pensions, Private Equity Funds Are Using Some Fuzzy Math
If we don't strengthen oversight over investments like private equity now, we could have a disaster on our hands in the not-so-distant future.
David Sirota
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Just Taxing the 1 Percent as Much as We Tax the Poor Would Yield Billions for Cash-Strapped States
A new report shows that states and cities effectively tax the 1 percent at only 5.4 percent—half what they tax the poor (10.9 percent).
David Sirota
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Beefing Up Border Security Is Not a Magical Solution for Immigration Policy
Former Mexican President Felipe Calderón says American political groups opposed to undocumented immigration are actually encouraging immigrants in the U.S. to stay.
David Sirota
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The Trans-Pacific Partnership Is a Huge Deal. So Why Is It Being Kept Secret?
President Barack Obama's administration has come under criticism due to its unwillingness to release the full text of the prospective TPP agreement between the United States and 11 Asian nations.
David Sirota
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Big Tax Bills for the Poor, Tiny Ones for the Rich
Regressive state and local tax policies don’t just harm the poor—they harm entire economies.
David Sirota
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Should Rahm Emanuel Be Exempt From Ethics Laws?
Executives at firms managing Chicago pension money have made more than $600,000 in donations to the mayor, despite a city ordinance—and an executive order by Emanuel himself—restricting contributions from city contractors.
David Sirota
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Is Chris Christie’s Bromance With Cowboys Owner Jerry Jones Violating Ethics Laws?
The only thing more awkward than the New Jersey governor and presidential hopeful's hug with the widely despised billionaire owner: Christie may have been breaking the law while doing it.
David Sirota
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States Are Redistributing Wealth! Where’s the Republican Outrage?
The Right seems to be just fine with wealth redistribution when governors like Chris Christie take from the poor and give to the rich.
David Sirota
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Insanely Rich People Insisting They’re Just Average Joes: Only in America
Treasury Secretary Jack Lew can't wrap his head around the fact that he's really, really wealthy.
David Sirota
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Charter Schools May Be Re-Segregating America’s Education System
Charters' defenders like to position themselves as 21st century civil rights activists. But a Delaware lawsuit alleges that charters are actually worsening racial inequality in the state.
David Sirota
Labor
Wall Street to Workers: Give Us Your Retirement Savings and Stop Asking Questions
David Sirota
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Journalists Aren’t Covering Local Elections. Our Democracy Is Suffering Because of It.
What if you held an election and nobody showed up to cover it? Americans now know the answer: elections with lots of paid ads but little journalism, context or objective facts.
David Sirota
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The Real Winner of the Midterms: Wall Street
The crop of newly elected politicians from last week's elections are likely to increase profits for banks while further cutting public sector workers' pensions.
David Sirota
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Do the Midterms Spell a GOP Takeover in 2016? Not in the Slightest.
Tuesday's elections did not necessarily portend a huge swing to the right by the American people.
David Sirota
Labor
Why Does Scott Walker Think $7.25 Is a Living Wage?
David Sirota
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So the Battle Over Legalization Has Come Down to This: A Duel Between Weed and Booze
Drug reformers say marijuana is a far less harmful substance than alcohol—and are willing to go "hit for shot" to prove it.
David Sirota
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Fracking to Cure Breast Cancer
Why is the Susan G. Komen Foundation partnering with a major fossil fuels company?
David Sirota
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Big Brother Is Watching You—Through Your Metadata
Your personal information may seem to be anonymous, but it isn't.
David Sirota
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Economic Inequality is Much Worse Than Most Americans Believe
According to a recent study, most of us severely underestimate just how bad the gap between the rich and the rest of us have gotten.
David Sirota
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Hedge Funds: Fantastic for Wall Street, Horrible for Your Pension
Private equity and hedge funds constantly lose money. So why are taxpayers' money being poured into them?
David Sirota
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Is Obama Going Easy On Banks That Break the Law?
Credit Suisse employees have donated more than $376,000 to President Obama—is he repaying the favor?
David Sirota
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Shareholders Say, ‘Show Me The Money’
A new rule could require companies to disclose information long requested by their shareholders.
David Sirota
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Why Higher Voter Turnout Scares the GOP
Republicans are once again drumming up fear of a nearly non-existent crime: "voter fraud."
David Sirota
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How U.S. Corporations Skip Out on Their Tax Bill
Microsoft is avoiding paying billions in taxes—and it's not the only one.
David Sirota
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Obama’s Blacklist Includes More Than Just Terrorists
The government is putting journalists' calls 'on hold' ... permanently.
David Sirota
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Whose Presidential Campaign Will Your Pension Finance?
Republicans are arguing that Wall Street should have the right to influence politicians' investment decisions.
David Sirota
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Made in the U.S.A.?
Semantics could reclassify foreign-made goods as U.S. products when sold abroad.
David Sirota