Our progress updates bring you the news filtered through a results-focused lens. We ask: Has the event, action, or utterance made any progress toward resolving any of the problems that we focus on here? Does it support a community’s ability to thrive and reflect the democratic culture we aspire to? Our reports demonstrate progress towards a solution – and sometimes, unfortunately, a regression from possible resolution.
Group Buying Program Lifts Residential Solar
Solar United Neighbors (SUN) recently rolled out a rebranded version of a group buying program that enables homeowners to install a solar energy system at up to a 25% discount. With a tax credit increased under the Inflation Reduction Act, homeowners are also able to claim up to 30% of the cost on their federal income tax return.
Signs of the Time: Americans are Rallying Against Trump
Millions of Americans attended rallies on Saturday in over 1,400 locations across the country to protest for the country and against Donald Trump and the actions he has initiated since returning to the White House.
Sen. Murphy Calls Out Trump Corruption
Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut accused the Trump administration of corruption. Pulling no punches, Murphy stated, “In the first six [weeks] of the Trump presidency, Trump and Elon Musk and their billionaire friends have engaged in a stunning rampage of open public corruption.” He then listed 24 specific instances of corruption.
Companies Resist Conservatives’ War on DEI
Major companies are defying the Trump administration’s efforts to eliminate diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies in government, business, and the nonprofit sector. Their reason: DEI is good for business.
Making Progress Under Trump 2.0
The second Trump administration is weighing heavily on the minds of the many Americans concerned that this Trump presidency will more effectively obstruct and undermine efforts to address our systemic problems than his first. The courageous ones are pressing forward despite the many threats the returning president has directed at those who oppose him.
California is Ground Zero for Battles Over States’ Rights
The California government is preparing to defend itself against an incoming Trump administration that has put the state firmly in its crosshairs over its climate policies. The relationship between the Democratic leadership of California and Donald Trump’s federal government over the next four years is likely to be tense and contentious.
Forging a Way Forward
As we emerge from the fog of knowing that half of our countrymen chose a liar, convicted felon, insurrectionist, and ally to foreign dictators to run the government, it’s natural to ask the question: How did this happen? Actionable answers are vital to forging a way forward.
Built to Last: Homes Unscathed Through Record Storms
Homes in Hunters Point, a development of sustainably built homes in Cortez, FL, kept their lights on and stayed dry during Hurricane Helene and two other major hurricanes. A fourth is on the way and may be its biggest test yet.
Here, Where Climate Change and Immigration Intersect
Almost 300 climate scientists now believe the increase in global temperatures will substantially exceed the 1.5°C target set in the Paris Climate Agreement. The result will be unprecedented human migration. Through separate actions, Texas Governor Greg Abbott and the nonprofit Welcoming America may be resetting the politics around tackling the migration problem.
Further Fracturing in the GOP
Is it possible for a political party to get stronger even as it fractures? That’s the question hanging over American politics as the Republican Party has increasingly divided itself into pro-Trumpists, never-Trumpists, and politically-convenient Trumpists. Here’s a rundown of some notable developments.
Why Applaud as the National Debt Continues to Soar?
Recently released government projections estimate the national debt will grow by $21.2 trillion over the next 10 years – a 78% increase raising the debt to more than $48 trillion. As bad as that sounds, the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, a bipartisan group that advocates for fiscal restraint, would like you to know the news could have been worse.
Election-Related Decisions Indicate Courts Still Favor Democracy
Despite efforts to alter the legal landscape, recent judicial decisions indicate our courts remain a bulwark against incursions by those who would subvert our democratic institutions.
