Free Fire Zone

Walk in the Other Guy's Shoes

Frankie_B — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 05:29:56 GMT

Please Mitt,
not the roof again!

Not to harp on one issue that has been talk to death, but I think Romney's dog on the roof of his car demonstrates the real problem with the GOP. It cannot emphasize with those in pain. They want to do away with Unions because they think the employers should be able to pay and fire what ever and who ever they like. They want no regulations on Corporations, but when it comes to the individual they want to regulate everything in your private lives. They scream about taxes going for abortions while spending trillions on illegitimate wars which have killed more innocents that abortions ever have. Those rich Republicans would sell off our Social Security to the highest bidder and dismantle Medicare, while deregulating the health insurance industry. They simply have no idea what it is to be a normal American.

Forum: Politics/News (Open) ~ General Message Board

Pastor Youcef news

Pet — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 00:23:11 GMT

A new resolution has been introduced in Congress calling on Iran to immediately release Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani. Pastor Youcef remains under a death sentence in Iran for his Christian faith.

Pastor Youcef is still alive today because people the world over have taken a stand, calling for his freedom. Now it is time for Congress to speak with one voice urging the Iranian regime to overturn Pastor Youcef's death sentence and immediately release him.

Take action to free Pastor Youcef. Sign the ACLJs petition urging Congress to demand his release.

Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Khamenei, and the Iranian court continue to delay their final decision on Pastor Youcef's fate leaving him illegally imprisoned in Iran, separated from his church, his wife, and his two sons. Today marks the 861st day of Pastor Youcef's illegal detention.

The ACLJ has been diligently working with Pastor Youcef's attorney in Iran to secure his release. We know that it is absolutely critical in saving Pastor Youcef's life that his story continue to be told.

International pressure continues to help keep Pastor Youcef alive. If a large majority of Congress supports this new bipartisan resolution, it could have a significant impact on pressuring Iran for Pastor Youcef's release.

We must urge every Member of Congress to support this effort. Take action.

We have also seen tremendous success with our Tweet for Youcef campaign. Each day updates on Pastor Youcef are reaching more than 305,000 twitter accounts in over 180 countries, including in the heart of Iran.

I cannot stress enough how absolutely critical this effort is in saving Pastor Youcef's life.

If you are on Twitter, please join the more than 1,400 people who have signed up to allow us to send one tweet a day on Pastor Youcef's behalf.

Thank you for your willingness to join the ACLJ in taking a stand for Pastor Youcef and the many Christians facing persecution worldwide that his story represents.

Jay Sekulow
ACLJ Chief Counsel

P.S. The fight to save this Christian pastor's life depends on people around the world speaking up for him, being his voice. Please forward this critical message and use the Facebook "Like" buttons in this email to share it with your friends.

Forum: Politics/News (Open) ~ General Message Board

Ten Facts About The Obama Budget

MCK — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 21:27:01 GMT

President Obama unveiled his budget for fiscal year 2013 this morning in Virginia, touting it as a budget that took a balanced approach toward investing in American economic growth now while reducing the nations deficit over the long-term. The budget is a step in the right direction, using both tax increases and spending cuts to cut the deficit and investing in infrastructure and other job creation measures to continue the economic recovery.

Like any budget, Obamas is complicated, containing investments and cuts to various programs. With that in mind, ThinkProgress compiled 10 facts about the Obama budget based on the White House fact sheet and other reports:

1. The budget includes $350 billion in short-term measures to encourage job growth, including $50 billion in immediate infrastructure investment, $30 billion to rebuild schools, and year-long extensions of the payroll tax holiday and unemployment insurance.
2. The implementation of the Buffett Rule and the repeal of the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy helps reduce the deficit by $1.5 trillion over the next 10 years.
3. For every $1 in new revenue from those making more than $250,000 per year and from closing corporate loopholes, the budget has $2.50 in spending cuts including the deficit reduction enacted over the last year.
4. The total budget reduces the deficit by $4 trillion over the next decade.
5. Obama preserves the maximum Pell Grant award, a key difference from the GOP budget, and makes permanent then Americans Opportunity Tax Credit, which helps 9 million families afford the costs of college.
6. Unlike the last two GOP budgets, Obamas budget protects Medicare and Medicaid from structural changes, and through small tweaks, saves $360 billion from those programs.
7. States will receive $30 billion in aid to prevent further layoffs of firefighters, teachers, and police officers, some of the hardest-hit workforces in the nation.
8. The budget eliminates 12 tax breaks to oil, gas, and coal companies, saving $41 billion over 10 years.
9. Obama preserves planned cuts to the Defense Department negotiated in the debt limit deal last August.
10. The budget maintains goals of putting one million electric vehicles on the road by 2015; doubling share of electricity from clean energy sources by 2035; and reducing buildings energy use by 20 percent by 2020.

As the Center for American Progress Michael Linden notes, Obamas budget is far from perfect. Its spending caps are too low, its defense cuts are too small, and it contains less new revenue than bipartisan plans like Simpson-Bowles and Rivlin-Domenici. But it prioritizes job creation and economic development and keeps America on the path to recovery, something Republican plans, unfortunately, fail to do.

http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2012/02/13/424235/ten-facts-about-the-obama-budget/?mobile=nc

Forum: Politics/News (Open) ~ General Message Board

UI Benefits Extension Doesnt Share Sacrifice

The_Workers_Voice — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 05:08:43 GMT

The House (293-132) and the Senate (60-36) passed legislation today to extend federal unemployment insurance (UI) benefits and the pay roll tax cut. UI benefits were set to expire Feb. 29 and the legislation that President Obama will sign extends the program for the nations nearly 13 million jobless workers through the end of the year.

In letter to lawmakers this morning, the AFL-CIO said that not extending UI and the payroll tax cut would compound the hardship of jobless families and jeopardize the recent signs of job growth.

But the bill not only reduces the number of weeks of benefits for the unemployed, it unfairly penalizes federal workers. Shared sacrifice should start at the top, with a surtax on millionaires, not with unemployed workers or middle-class working families. The AFL-CIO does not support the bill.

Here is the full text of the letter:

Dear Representative:
Federal unemployment benefits and the temporary payroll tax cut need to be extended through the end of this year because the jobs crisis is far from over and the economic recovery is still fragile. Withdrawal of these critical economic supports would compound the already unacceptable hardship of jobless families and jeopardize the recent promising signs of job growth. By contrast, the conference report for H.R. 3630 would reduce the number of weeks of unemployment benefits available for unemployed workers and gratuitously penalizing federal employees.
Any offset to this package will reduce its effectiveness in stimulating economic growth and creating jobs, and for this reason federal extended benefits have historically not been offset. However, if there has to be an offset in this bill, it should be a surtax on incomes over $1 million. Republicans in Congress have insisted on protecting millionaires at the expense of jobless workers and middle income working class Americans.
Unemployed workers and federal employees continue to be blamed for problems they did not cause. Meanwhile, the people who did cause the crash of 2008, from which our economy is still slowly recovering, have largely gotten off scot free. Shared sacrifice should start at the top, with a surtax on millionaires, not with unemployed workers or middle class working families who provide vital services to the federal government.
For all of these reasons, the AFL-CIO cannot support H.R. 3630.

Forum: Politics/News (Open) ~ General Message Board

Jazz Musicians Faced Historic Abuse

The_Workers_Voice — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 05:07:07 GMT

Jazz musicians have beenand continue to beamong the most abused of professional performers, writes Todd Bryant Weeks in a Black History Month feature for the latest edition of Allegro, the magazine of American Federatoin of Musicians of the United States and Canada (AFM) Local 802 in New York.

From the days of traveling vaudeville and tent shows through to the civil rights movement and beyond, jazz musiciansespecially black musicianshave been subjected to second-class citizenship, particularly in the Deep South.

Some of the greatest figures of the past century were among the most exploited, or were effectively discarded when they grew old and could not earn a living.

Managers, promoters, agents, producers and club owners regularly stole from performers by claiming writing, arranging and other recording credits, shorting players on royalties and other payments, Weeks writes. In 1938, the legendary Joe King Oliver,

perhaps the most influential American jazz musician before Louis Armstrong, a renowned performer with an international reputation, was discovered in Atlanta, destitute and working as a street vendor.

But even today, jazz musicians continue to face hardships. In New York City, jazz club owners, who are beneficiaries of a tax relief bill championed by Local 802 that was expected to be used to help fund musicians pensions and other benefits, have refused to put the money toward benefits.

Read Weeks entire article here and find out more at Justice for Jazz Artists here.

Forum: Labor Report

Romneys Attack on Autoworkers Appalling

The_Workers_Voice — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 05:03:15 GMT

While Mitt Romney is campaigning in Michigan this week, workers there are letting him know just how offensive they find his claim that we should have let Detroit go bankrupt, when the economy and the auto industry were about to collapse.

Skilled trade electrician and UAW Local 1700 member Jeff Klayo says Romneys comment is an attack on American workers.

Were out there trying to get the American dream, were trying to keep our jobs, save our jobs, get a good wage, put food on our tables, pay our taxes.If the company is successful, we can be successful. If the companys taking a downturn, we take a downturn with it.

Not only is Romneys statement, made in 2008, an assault on working people, its really bad economics. On Wednesday, General Motors (GM) announced that 2011 saw its largest profit ever: $7.6 billion. That means profit-sharing for workers, who in turn will plow the money back in to the communitycreating even more jobs and economic resurgence.

Foreshadowing the political impact of Romneys stance, Stacie Steward, a skilled trade electrician and UAW Local 1700 member, put it this way:

Theres not a person in Michigan who doesnt have a sister or a brother, a cousin, a friend that is tied to the auto industry. Every Michigan citizen should be appalled by what Mitt Romney said.

Even a contributor to the conservative business publication Forbes writes:

General Motors (GM) went bankrupt in 2009. But thanks to President Barack H. Obama, it restructured itself and emerged from bankruptcy. GMs record profit for 2011 vindicates Obamas action. GMs record profit for 2011 vindicates Obamas action.

The auto industry rescue saved more than 1.4 million jobs up and down the supply chain. And helped ensure the resurgence of an industry vital to U.S. manufacturing. But Romneys opposition to bolstering U.S. jobs and key industries is supported by Republican presidential frontrunner Rick Santorum.

Prior to the emergency rescue loans, UAW members made deep sacrifices beginning in 2005 to save the company, giving up pay increases, overtime pay, holidays, agreeing to a reduced pay and benefit
structure for new hires and other concessions. President Obama demanded additional concessions and shared sacrifice from both labor and management in exchange for the loans.

In return, Americas carmakers retooled to create the energy-efficient cars of the future and repaid their outstanding loans years ahead of schedule.

Says UAW President Bob King:

The auto industry added more than 200,000 jobs in the last two-and-a-half years, and 2011 was the strongest year of industry job growth since 1994. Demand for their cars is going up, so GM, Ford and Chrysler are starting to run three production shifts a day at many plants. Added shifts and new facilities mean jobs for thousands more workers in Michigan, Ohio and other places across the country.

Forum: Politics/News (Open) ~ General Message Board

Ariz. House Committee Passes Jan Brewers Patronage Plan

The_Workers_Voice — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 04:50:03 GMT

After a four-hour hearing described by Arizona Capitol Times reporter Jeremy Duda as testy on his Twitter feed, the Employment and Regulatory Affairs Committee of the Arizona House of Representatives approved Gov. Jan Brewers plan to remove civil service protections from state workers and make them at-will employees. It was a 6-3 party-line vote with Republicans for and Democrats against, proving (once again) that elections have consequences.

Several representatives of AFSCME, the AFL-CIO and public safety unions spoke against the measure. They were countered by the usual assemblage of Chamber of Commerce and Goldwater Institute people who are invariably behind every attack on public workers in Arizona. One Democrat on the committee, Rep. Daniel Patterson, noted that all of the evidence cited in support at the hearing came from (surprise!) a 2010 Goldwater Institute report on the need for personnel reform.

Forum: Labor Report

New Study Shows Labor-Management Partnerships Improve Patient Care

The_Workers_Voice — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 04:48:46 GMT

Patient care improves and costs come down as a result of labor and management partnerships, according to a new Cornell University study.

The report, How Labor-Management Partnerships Improve Patient Care, Control Costs, and Labor Relations, profiles joint work involving front-line staff, unions and management at Kaiser Permanentes San Rafael and San Diego medical centers in California, Fletcher Allen Health Care in Vermont and the Contact Center at Montefiore Medical Centers Care Management Corp. (CMO) in New York.

At the four facilities studied, joint labor-management activities have resulted in:

Improved turnaround time for test results.
Increased awareness about workplace safety.
Improved patient satisfaction scores.
Quicker access to home care services.
Less staff turnover.

Peter Lazes, director of Cornells Healthcare Transformation Project, says:

Reforming our health care system to be accessible and provide high-quality services has been at the core of many recent national and state initiatives. This report provides a roadmap for how to structure union-management partnerships in a healthcare setting. These activities, encouraged by Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebeliuss initiative Partnership for Patients to Improve Care and Lower Costs for Americans, are, in fact, making a difference.

The report was prepared by the Healthcare Transformation Project at Cornell Universitys Industrial and Labor Relations (ILR) School. Click here for the executive summary. The full report will be available online Feb. 21.

Forum: Politics/News (Open) ~ General Message Board

Arizona Legislature Wants to Pay Young Workers Less than Minimum Wage

The_Workers_Voice — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 04:47:31 GMT

Raise your hand if you were supporting yourself and maybe helping to support your family when you were 18. I know I was, so I cant fathom what the Arizona Legislature is thinking by putting forth a ballot
referendum that would allow employers to pay workers under 20 years of age substantially less than the states minimum wage. Currently it is at $7.65 an hour but this recent measure, if approved by voters, would allow businesses to pay teens and young adults as little as $4.65 an hour.

Proponents argue that it would only apply to those working less than 20 hours a week or for a duration of 90 days or less and that Arizonas minimum wage stifles job creation. The assumption behind this is that young people who work part time live at home or are otherwise supported by their parents and dont really need the income. This ignores the harsh economic reality of many families in Arizona, where every working members income is needed to keep a roof overhead and dinner on table. And oftentimes part-time work is all that is available to young people. Its also incredible that the Legislature would propose this at the same time they are seeking to raise tuition at Arizonas colleges an average of $2000 per student.

What happened to equal pay for equal work? asked Wyatt Manoil, a college student who works part-time to help pay his living expenses at school.

Im barely making it as it is. I dont even think I could afford to work if thats all I was making.

Indeed, its hard to understand how anyone could think that paying workers less than subsistence wages would benefit Arizonas economy. No one, not even supporters, expects the referendum to pass at the ballot box. Voters overwhelmingly approved a ballot initiative in 2006 that raised Arizonas minimum wage higher than the federal rate and indexed it to inflation despite intense negative campaigning by the restaurant and other industries. So this is basically tea party legislators wasting our time rather than taking tangible steps to balance the budget and bring good jobs to Arizona.

Forum: Labor Report

Arizona Merit System Under Attack as Anti-Collective Bargaining Bill Stalls

The_Workers_Voice — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 04:45:45 GMT

Nick Martin of TPM reported this week that one of the worst in a package of anti-union bills before the Arizona Legislature was on life support.

Senate President Steve Pierce and Senate Whip Frank Antenori expressed serious doubt that there were enough Republicans in the upper chamber willing to pass a bill ending collective bargaining, the Guardian reported. Antenori described the bills chances as questionable.
Still, its probably too early for unions in Arizona to declare victory. At least two other bills designed to restrict their impact in the state are likely to pass, the senators told the political news website.

While the collective bargaining bill delay is welcome news for public-sector workers here, theres another big attack on state workers here that isnt getting the kind of national attention that the Wisconsin-style union bills are. Gov. Jan Brewer wants to do away with Arizonas merit-based employment system for state workers. (Contact Arizona lawamkers now and tell them to vote NO on Brewers personnel bill and bills in the Senate that would take away collective bargaining rights for workers. Click here to take action.)

Some 80 percent of state workers are under the current system, in which managers must show cause to fire employees. The merit system is considered very important to a lot of state employees because it protects whistle-blowers and workers falsely accused of violations. It also means the people performing the important public services Arizonans rely on are dedicated public servants and not cronies or patronage hires. Brewers plan is to offer employees a one-time pay increase in exchange for voluntarily leaving the merit system (a move critics call a bribe) and to weaken protections for employees who remain covered by it.

Sheri Van Horsen, president of AFSCME Local 3111, exhorted supporters to contact the governor and their legislators on Facebook:

We do not need a return of political patronage in state government and wiping out the merit system Republicans put into place to stop corruption and cronyism in state government should not be rushed through!

Van Horsen is right: Republicans had the good sense to create the merit system for Arizona four decades ago but todays Republicans are in the thrall of the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) and the Goldwater Institute. Goldwaters Mark Flatten says the sweeping civil service reforms are necessary because its too difficult to fire unruly, inept and ineffective state workers.

Naturally, Flatten cites an investigation, conducted by none other than the Goldwater Institute, to bolster his claims. Im sure Boss Tweed would approve.

A House of Representatives special committee meeting has been set for Thursday to discuss Brewers 275-page reform proposal.

Forum: Politics/News (Open) ~ General Message Board

FAIR Blog: Apple's Profits, ABC's Budget Fallacy, Scrutiny = Bombing, 'War on Christians'...

Johny — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 04:14:37 GMT

Like something you read? Feel free to pass it along to friends via email, Facebook, Twitter and other social media.

Forum: Politics/News (Open) ~ General Message Board

Tell Congress: Save the post office

Gabrielle — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 04:03:52 GMT

We need to save the post office. The Postmaster General wants to close over half of the mail processing centers and over 3,000 mostly rural post offices. And his plan includes laying off almost 220,000 workers. In this economy, that's the last thing we need.

Rural post offices in particular are important institutions. Closing them, especially in areas with little or no access to broadband internet service, could have a major impact on the communities they serve. And closing them won't save much money.

Collectively, all the post offices being considered for closure account for a miniscule amount, four-tenths of one percent, of the postal service's annual budget. As one former Postmaster General said, "That's not even a drop in the bucket. The bucket won't ripple."

I just signed a petition telling Congress to save the post office. I hope you do, too.

You can find more information and sign the petition at the link below.

http://act.credoaction.com/campaign/save_post_office/?r_by=35136-3946194-MV3E50x&rc=paste1

Forum: Politics/News (Open) ~ General Message Board

The Choice

Marty — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 19:39:03 GMT

In November the choice is clear
The Democratic Party will work to put America back to work, keep our Nation health, to keep Americans in their homes and safe. What will the Republicans do? The Republicans will just give more of our money to the rich and put us deeper into debt. They will give us an America that won't be fit to live in. This is why we must vote for the one and only Democratic Party.

Forum: Politics/News (Open) ~ General Message Board

Woman barred from hearing on birth control!

Jessica — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 03:42:20 GMT

This morning, a House committee held a hearing to attack womens contraceptive coverage.

Unbelievably, the head of the committee, anti-choice Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA), refused to allow a female law student to testify in support of contraceptive coverage.

The hearing featured 10 anti-choice witnesses -- eight of whom were men. And yet Rep. Issa barred this woman from telling the story of her friend: that she lost her ovary to a cyst when she couldn't afford the contraception her doctor prescribed to prevent it.

These politicians are out of touch with their constituents -- and reality. We have to stop them.

If you believe that no-cost birth control is one of the most important advances for women's health in a generation, I need you to stand with us today. We must defeat these latest attacks in the War on Women.

Forum: Politics/News (Open) ~ General Message Board

24 Hours to Stop Keystone XL Pipeline

Frankie_B — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 08:29:14 GMT

The Senate is about to reverse President Obama's courageous decision last month to say no to the dangerous Keystone XL tar sands pipeline.

As early as Tuesday, they may vote to greenlight construction of the pipeline without any environmental or economic review.

That's why for the next 24 hours dozens of organizations from across our movement are joining together to collect and deliver 500,000 messages to the Senate.

President Obama's decision to stand up to oil industry lobbyists, and threats from Republicans, was a huge win for both people-powered organizing and for fighting climate change. Heavy tar sands oil creates three times more carbon pollution than conventional oil.

Sign the petition and tell the Senate not to undercut the president's bold stand against the Keystone XL pipeline and dirty energy lobbyists.

A compiled petition with your individual comment will be presented to the U.S. Senate leadership.

http://www.democrats.com/stop-keystone-xl?cid=

Forum: Politics/News (Open) ~ General Message Board

Free Fire Zone

Walk in the Other Guy's Shoes

Pastor Youcef news

Ten Facts About The Obama Budget

UI Benefits Extension Doesnt Share Sacrifice

Jazz Musicians Faced Historic Abuse

Romneys Attack on Autoworkers Appalling

Ariz. House Committee Passes Jan Brewers Patronage Plan

New Study Shows Labor-Management Partnerships Improve Patient Care

Arizona Legislature Wants to Pay Young Workers Less than Minimum Wage

Arizona Merit System Under Attack as Anti-Collective Bargaining Bill Stalls

FAIR Blog: Apple's Profits, ABC's Budget Fallacy, Scrutiny = Bombing, 'War on Christians'...

For NYT, Apple Making Less Profit Is Not Even an Option

Do TV Networks 'Practice' for War?

ABC and the 'Family Budget' Fallacy

Bill O'Reilly Admits He Has 'No Blanking Idea'

NYT: 'Scrutiny' of Iran's Nuke Sites Means Bombing Them

Bizarre Record of Fox's Rape-to-Be-Expected Pundit

NYT: Okinawans' 'True Views' Aren't What They Say

Newsweek and the 'War on Christians'

Corporate Pundits Waiting for a Palestinian Gandhi? Meet Khader Adnan

Is Iraq Media Failure 'Coloring' Iran Coverage?

Tell Congress: Save the post office

The Choice

Woman barred from hearing on birth control!

24 Hours to Stop Keystone XL Pipeline