by Mike Hall, Apr 15, 2011
On a near straight party line vote (235-193) this afternoon, the U.S. House passed the Republican budget plan that privatizes Medicare, cuts corporate taxes and taxes for the wealthy, cuts Medicaid funding repeals health care reform and costs up to 2 million jobs. All Democrats as well as four Republicans voted against the bill. (Get the vote breakdown here.)
Republicans say the huge spending cuts in the plan, developed by Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.), are needed to reduce the federal deficit. But just a causal glance at the math shows the Republican budget plan cuts $4.3 trillion in spending and hands out $4.2 trillion in tax giveaways, mostly to the wealthy and corporations.
Even more disturbing, according to Moody Analytics and the Economic Policy Institute (EPI), the Republican budget will cost between 1.7 million and 2.2 million jobs in the first two years alone. Last night in Chicago President Obama said:
Under [Republicans'] vision, we can’t invest in roads and bridges and broadband and high-speed rail. We need to build on the compromises we made last week, but we can’t compromise on our investments to grow, the investments we need to create jobs.
On the floor today, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, (D-Calif.), said the Republican plan is “a false economy,” that cuts deeply into investments that create jobs.
Edward Wytkind, president of the AFL-CIO Transportation Trades Department (TTD), says the Republican budget cuts to transportation would eliminate well over half a million transportation jobs and that number would soar higher with the loss of jobs in the related manufacturing, supplier and public sectors.
Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP) President Robert Greenstein called the plan “Robin Hood in reverse:
Taken together, its proposals would produce the largest redistribution of income from the bottom to the top in modern U.S. history, while increasing poverty and inequality more than any measure in recent times and possibly in the nation’s history.
Seniors are hit especially hard by the Republican plan, which would privatize Medicare and replace it with a system of vouchers that, according to the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities, would double a senior’s health care spending. The non-partisan Congressional Budget Office projects that Ryan’s plan would have seniors paying $20,000 a year for Medicare in 2030, or 68 percent of the total cost of their coverage. That amount is currently 25 percent.
Today on Capitol Hill, the Alliance for Retired Americans and others rallied to protest the Medicare cuts that Republicans want to use to help pay for the tax breaks for corporations and the rich.
An overwhelming number of Americans oppose proposals to dismantle Medicare in the 2012 House Republican budget, according to a new poll by the Democracy Corps/Campaign for America’s Future. The proposed cuts to Medicare raise concerns for nearly two-thirds of respondent, raising “serious” doubts for 66 percent, and “very serious” doubts for 40 percent.
The poll also finds that when people hear more details about the Republican budget, they overwhelmingly dislike it. Click here for slide show presentation of the poll’s findings and here for a detailed analysis.
The Democratically-controlled Senate will offer its own budget plan when Congress returns from its two-week spring break May 2.
Saturday, April 16, 2011
Court Slaps Down N.M. Gov.’s Labor Board Firings
by Mike Hall, Apr 15, 2011
A unanimous New Mexico State Supreme Court said Wednesday that tea party Republican Gov. Susana Martinez overstepped her authority when earlier this year she fired two members and the executive director of Public Employee Labor Relations Board. The New Mexico Federation of Labor (NMFL) filed suit against Martinez’s action.
The court ordered Martinez to reinstate the two fired board members.
The three-person labor board enforces the state’s public employee collective bargaining law and consists of one member chosen by state employee unions, one member chosen by state department heads and one member chosen by the other two members. Although the governor makes the official appointments, the selection process is performed by unions, management and the board itself.
The board also chooses an executive director. It’s not clear what will happen with the executive director’s position. The board could rehire the former director or choose another director.
The Santa Fe New Mexican reports:
The court agreed with arguments by Shane Youtz, who represented the New Mexico Federation of Labor AFL-CIO, that the board should maintain independence from the executive branch because by its very nature it decides cases involving the executive branch.
Youtz told the justices that of 43 cases pending before the board at the time of the firings, 17 directly involved the governor.
A unanimous New Mexico State Supreme Court said Wednesday that tea party Republican Gov. Susana Martinez overstepped her authority when earlier this year she fired two members and the executive director of Public Employee Labor Relations Board. The New Mexico Federation of Labor (NMFL) filed suit against Martinez’s action.
The court ordered Martinez to reinstate the two fired board members.
The three-person labor board enforces the state’s public employee collective bargaining law and consists of one member chosen by state employee unions, one member chosen by state department heads and one member chosen by the other two members. Although the governor makes the official appointments, the selection process is performed by unions, management and the board itself.
The board also chooses an executive director. It’s not clear what will happen with the executive director’s position. The board could rehire the former director or choose another director.
The Santa Fe New Mexican reports:
The court agreed with arguments by Shane Youtz, who represented the New Mexico Federation of Labor AFL-CIO, that the board should maintain independence from the executive branch because by its very nature it decides cases involving the executive branch.
Youtz told the justices that of 43 cases pending before the board at the time of the firings, 17 directly involved the governor.
Repeal Drive for Ohio’s Anti-Worker Bill Moves Forward
by Mike Hall, Apr 15, 2011
The drive to repeal a law backed and recently signed by Ohio Gov. John Kasich (R) that eliminates the rights of 350,000 public employees to bargain for middle-class jobs, got the official go ahead this morning. The Ohio attorney general and secretary of state certified the 1,000 signatures needed and approved the petition language submitted earlier this month.
The action now allows opponents of the bill to begin collecting signatures to put the repeal of SB. 5 on the November ballot. Workers and their allies need to gather 231,000 signatures by June 30 to qualify. If they do, the law will not go into effect and its fate will be decided by the voters.
We Are Ohio, a coalition of unions, community, student and other groups, is mobilizing volunteers to gather the signatures. If you live in Ohio, click here to find training sessions near you.
Last Saturday, more than 11,000 people rallied at the Capitol in Columbus to kick off the repeal campaign. Click here, here and here for more on the right against S.B. 5.
Qatar Airways Refuses to Use Union Labor at JFK
by Tula Connell, Apr 15, 2011
Members of Transport Workers (TWU) local unions from throughout the New York area, joined by Office and Professional Employees (OPEIU) 153, rallied yesterday outside Trump Tower in Manhattan, headquarters of Qatar Airways. Qatar is moving operations to Kennedy Airport Terminal 8, operated by American Airlines, but, unlike other foreign carriers, is not using American ground service workers who are members of TWU Local 501.
The company instead is contracting out the work to a third party. The union says this move, with American’s approval, is an attack on the wages, working conditions and job security of Local 501 members at Kennedy Airport.
Says Dave Virella, president of Local 501:
If Qatar doesn’t want to make use of the trained and experienced workforce at the American Airlines terminal, they should take their business elsewhere.
Maine Taxpayers Will Pay for Gov.’s Mural Move
by Tula Connell, Apr 14, 2011
Looks like Maine taxpayers will foot a hefty bill for Gov. Paul LePage’s blatant partisanship. Last month in a stealth move, LePage unilaterally removed an 11-panel mural from the state’s Department of Labor, saying its depictions of Maine working people was “anti-business.”
Now, Washington Post reporter Jason Horowitz found that because federal funding contributed to the mural, if LePage does not exhibit the art in an appropriate government building,
he must reimburse the state’s unemployment trust fund account 63.39 percent of the “current fair market value,” according to the Labor Department. Given the painting’s new cultural significance, LePage may unintentionally have taken on the role of a political Larry Gagosian, the art dealer who has a knack for driving up prices. Tom Denenberg, the chief curator of the Portland Museum of Art, said that while he wouldn’t put a dollar amount on the mural’s appreciation, the governor’s focus “without a doubt dramatically increases its importance.”
The mural also included a depiction of Maine resident and first female Labor Secretary Frances Perkins, and its removal prompted Mount Holyoke College President Lynn Pasquarella to write a scathing letter to LePage saying his action “conjures thoughts of rewriting history prevalent in totalitarian regimes.” Perkins was a Mount Holyoke graduate.
Judy Taylor, the local artist who won a competition to design the mural, said LePage’s depiction of the art as akin to North Korean propaganda was particularly unfortunate. Her father was awarded a Bronze Star for his service in the Korean War.
Friday, April 15, 2011
Detroit to send layoff notices to all its public teachers
Thu Apr 14, 10:17 pm ET
CHICAGO (Reuters) – The emergency manager appointed to put Detroit's troubled public school system on a firmer financial footing said on Thursday he was sending layoff notices to all of the district's 5,466 unionized employees.
In a statement posted on the website of Detroit Public Schools, Robert Bobb, the district's temporary head, said notices were being sent to every member of the Detroit Federation of Teachers "in anticipation of a workforce reduction to match the district's declining student enrollment."
Bobb said nearly 250 administrators were receiving the notices, too.
The district is unlikely to eliminate all the teachers. Last year, it sent out 2,000 notices and only a fraction of employees were actually laid off. But the notices are required by the union's current contract with the district. Any layoffs under this latest action won't take effect until late July.
In the meantime, Bobb said that he planned to exercise his power as emergency manager to unilaterally modify the district's collective bargaining agreement with the Federation of Teachers starting May 17, 2011.
Under a law known as Public Act 4, passed by the Michigan legislature and signed by the state's new Republican governor in March, emergency managers like Bobb have sweeping powers. They can tear up existing union contracts, and even fire some elected officials, if they believe it will help solve a financial emergency.
Scott Walker Defends Hobbling Unions
LAURIE KELLMAN 04/14/11 11:07 PM ET
WASHINGTON — Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker defended his school of union hobbling as a route to fiscal discipline to budget-weary Washington on Thursday, telling a House committee that protracted, nail-biting negotiations in tough economic times can produce inaction and bad policy.
"Sometimes," the Republican governor told the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, "bipartisanship is not so good."
Walker clearly was speaking of recent Wisconsin budget history. Still, it was an extraordinary message to deliver to Capitol Hill at a time of divided government, when leaders in Congress realize they have little choice but to negotiate the path toward the nation's economic stability. As Walker spoke to the House panel, a Congress facing tough fiscal battles ahead was preparing to send the White House a bipartisan deal for $38 billion in spending cuts over the next six months.
"This is the best we could get out of divided government," House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, told reporters.
Walker's budget for Wisconsin is just the opposite – an explicit act of partisanship.
Passed by a Republican-controlled legislature and now the subject of a court fight, it ends collective bargaining on everything except wages for state and local government employees and requires them to absorb more of their pension and health care costs. The state no longer will collect dues for unions through paycheck deductions.
Abel Harding: Brown to business: I'm not partisan
Submitted by Abel Harding on April 15, 2011 - 1:43am
Alvin Brown says there's no room for partisan politics in the Jacksonville mayoral race. Touting his opponent's description of him as a "conservative Democrat," he's working to garner support from the largely Republican business community.
In keeping with that approach, the former White House aide has been reassuring prospective supporters that he won't be promoting the candidacies of other Democrats - including President Barack Obama - should he win.
"This is not about Democrats or Republicans," the Jacksonville University MBA graduate said. "I'm going to be focused on putting Jacksonville back to work."
Brown says he's aware of the perception that a Democrat can't win Duval County but believes this race is different.
"There are more people out there who don't want the status quo," he said.
His campaign touted a poll it commissioned this week that shows him within striking distance of Mike Hogan, his Republican opponent.
The possibility of a close race wasn't something Hogan's campaign was willing to dispute.
"We are not taking anything for granted," said Maggie Bulin, Hogan's operations manager. "We are focused on getting Mike's message out to every resident of Duval County."
Controversial Florida election law change moves forward
Criticism of late rewrite that tweaks registration rules hits bill's sponsor.
Posted: April 15, 2011 - 12:00am
By Matt Dixon
Legislation that would overhaul state election law received a committee nod only 16 hours after the sponsor filed a 151-page amendment changing several aspects of the bill, a move that earned him vocal rebukes Thursday.
The measure, among other things, would no longer allow voters to change their address on Election Day, require that groups that hold voter registration drives get the information of newly registered voters to elections officials within 48 hours, and require that those groups give personal information to the state before registering new voters.
Supporters said the bill, which passed on a party-line 12-6 vote, would better ensure the accuracy of voter rolls, while several opponents called it disenfranchising.
"I'm going to call this bill for what it is, good old-fashioned voter suppression," said Ben Wilcox of the League of Women voters.
Rep. Dennis Baxley, R-Ocala, the bill's sponsor, says allowing people to change address on Election Day can lead to fraud because it is tough to verify that they did not already vote in another county.
"Don't we care about the integrity of the vote?" he asked.
Mediation resumes in NFL, players dispute
By DAVE CAMPBELL
AP Sports Writer
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- After more than a month off, the NFL and its locked-out players have starting talking again about how to resolve their differences and ensure there is pro football played this fall.
The only sign of progress or productivity, though, was the nine hours or so both sides spent in the federal courthouse on Thursday.
Sworn to secrecy about specifics of the court-ordered mediation, neither the league nor the players provided much insight about where they're at in their dispute over the division of this $9 billion business. They were set to meet again Friday morning.
Commissioner Roger Goodell, Carolina Panthers owner Jerry Richardson, Kansas City Chiefs owner Clark Hunt, Pittsburgh Steelers owner Art Rooney and New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft were among those on hand for the closed-door session Thursday with U.S. Magistrate Judge Arthur Boylan.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
