Worker power is more important than ever this Labor Day
This Labor Day, worker power is more important than ever. Across the country, workers are finding new ways to organize and bargain for better wages, benefits, and working conditions. But longstanding weaknesses in U.S. labor law—and attacks on the institutions that enforce it—continue to make it harder for workers to exercise their rights. From new models of sectoral bargaining for rideshare drivers to efforts to strengthen federal labor law, CAP’s American Worker Project is examining how policymakers can build a stronger foundation for worker power and ensure that all workers have a fair shot at a better future.
More than 150 organizations are standing with CAP and for the First Amendment
Last month, Donald Trump escalated his attacks on independent research with a threat to sue the Center for American Progress for $5 billion unless CAP retracted a report examining the Trump administration’s costly National Guard deployments. The report, based on a scientific analysis of crime data, found that the deployments had no measurable impact on reducing violent crime. Rather than engage with CAP on those findings, Trump responded with a legal threat aimed at silencing the research.
CAP has been clear: We stand by our work. Independent research and evidence-based analysis are essential to a functioning democracy, and the First Amendment protects the right to publish facts and analysis—even when those findings are inconvenient for those in power.
Now, more than 150 organizations have joined together to make the same point.
In a new joint statement, civil society, advocacy, and nonpartisan organizations are standing with CAP and defending the First Amendment rights that allow organizations to research, report, and speak truth to power. Their message is bigger than this one dispute: No president should be able to use the threat of litigation to intimidate independent organizations into silence.
The coalition’s support underscores what is at stake. Robust public debate depends on the ability of researchers, journalists, advocates, and organizations to scrutinize government policies and publish findings that challenge those in power.
CAP will continue doing what we’ve always done: following the facts, examining the impact of government policies, and making our research available to the public.
If you value independent research and want to help CAP continue this work, you can support our efforts today.
Despite his claims, President Trump has no legal authority to nationalize elections
President Trump recently signaled that he refused to rule out declaring a national emergency to unilaterally set new rules governing the upcoming midterm elections. This followed a prime-time address to the nation where Trump resurrected largely debunked conspiracy theories about foreign interference in U.S. elections. But no president or any administration official has authority under the U.S. Constitution, current law, or other mechanisms to make or alter rules for federal elections—even in the face of an alleged national security threat. That power lies strictly with the states, with Congress as a backstop, under Article 1, Section 4 of the U.S. Constitution.
Any attempt by the Trump administration to use a national security emergency as a basis to nationalize elections would be unconstitutional and must be rejected. Doing so would only make it harder for citizens to lawfully cast ballots, potentially providing a pretext to challenge election results and subvert the will of the American people to choose their leaders.
More from CAP’s senior fellow Michael Sozan on the administration’s latest attempt to subvert the midterm elections through a U.S. Postal Service “final rule”:
