PLI Bulletin

It’s the Economy, Criminal Records, Robocalls and More

Posted on December 4, 2019

Protection Against Robocalls Act: Americans everywhere are subjected to innumerable unwanted robocalls and telephone scams. Earlier this year, the State of Maine enacted legislation to do something about it. The Protection Against Robocalls Act, based on the Maine statute, bans most automated and prerecorded robocalls and prohibits telemarketers from using false or misleading caller IDs.

For average Americans, it’s still the economy, stupid: James Carville famously made economics central to Bill Clinton’s 1992 presidential campaign, insisting “It’s the economy, stupid!” Contrary to news coverage, for average Americans, the economy is now worse than it was in 1992. And it’s absolutely essential for progressives to understand this real-world kitchen table economics. Read more in the latest IdeaLog, our blog intended to raise eyebrows and engage minds.

Automatic Criminal Record Sealing: Pennsylvania and Utah became the first two states to automatically seal criminal records for people who are eligible, so those records cannot affect their chances for employment, education and housing. The program is called “Clean Slate” and it is described and discussed in this podcast.

States with the weakest gun laws have the highest gun death rates: Gun death rates are highest where there are weak gun laws, as demonstrated in a new analysis by the Center for American Progress. The five most dangerous states are: Alaska, Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi and Montana. The five safest are: Hawaii, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New York and New Jersey.

Municipal Equality Index for 2019: Municipalities are exceeding inclusion standards to protect LGBTQ people, according to a new report from the Human Rights Campaign Foundation. A record 88 cities earned HRC’s highest score, up from 78 cities in 2018 and only 11 in 2012.

Consider giving Voicing Our Values and Preparing to Win as holiday gifts: For the past seven years, we have sold our communications and organizing handbooks on Amazon. Every year, we get many orders during the holiday season. Consider ordering early—click here.