tagged w/ 99ers
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By Lindsay Beyerstein, Media Consortium blogger
Tens of thousands of people continue their peaceful occupation of the Wisconsin state capital to protest a bill that would abolish most collective bargaining rights for public employees. As the protests entered their eighth day, GRITtv with Laura Flanders was broadcasting from Madison, Wisconsin in collaboration with The Uptake.
Flanders interviewed Nation journalist and seventh-generation Wisconsinite John Nichols. Nichols and fellow guest Matthew Rothschild of The Progressive noted that the bill isn’t just an attack on collective bargaining rights. The bill would force public sector unions to hold recertification votes every year, which would put their very existence on the line annually. “The unions realize that this is a threat to their very existence,” Rothschild explained.
A game of chicken
The Wisconsin state Assembly begins debate on the bill on Tuesday, but 14 Democratic senators remain in hiding in Illinois, depriving the Senate of the quorum it needs to vote on the bill. According to an obscure procedural rule, the state Senate can still pass bills on non-fiscal matters.
The result is that a game of chicken is about to begin, in which the Republicans will attempt to pass as many non-fiscal bills hated by Democratic senators as possible, such as legislation mandating photo ID for voters, in an attempt to provoke their colleagues into coming back home to vote on the fate of public sector unions.
The Democrats don’t control the state Senate at the best of times, so it’s not clear why they would be more eager to come home to lose on voter ID and public sector unions. As of Tuesday, the legislators in exile showed no signs of wavering, telling CBS that they were waiting to hear from the governor.
“I think if this [bill] gets pushed through, we’re going to have a recall effort and take this governor out,” Rothschild predicted.
Solidarity
An estimated 80,000 protesters gathered in Madison, Wisconsin to protest a Republican-backed budget bill that would abolish collective bargaining rights for most public employees, Democracy Now! reports.
The bill would spare the bargaining rights of unionized police officers and firefighters. However, Mahlon Mitchell, president of the Wisconsin Professional Firefighters Association, tells host Amy Goodman that Wisconsin’s firefighters and police officers stand with other public sector workers. “An assault on one is an assault on all,” Mitchell said.
Union busting, not budget fixing
Matthew Rothschild in The Progressive argues Gov. Walker’s real agenda is union busting, not budget repair. Walker claims that he is forced to abolish collective bargaining rights because the state can no longer afford them. But this is a matter of priorities, not a true fiscal emergency. Walker is asking working people to pick up the tab for his economic agenda. During his brief tenure in office, Walker refused $800 million in federal funds for high speed rail, which would have created jobs and stimulated the economy. He has also pushed through $117 million in tax breaks.
The captain of the Superbowl-winning Green Bay Packers, the NFL’s only non-profit team, has come out in solidarity with the protesters in Wisconsin, Dave Zirin reports in The Nation. Captain Charles Woodson said in a statement:
Last week I was proud when many of my current and former teammates announced their support for the working families fighting for their rights in Wisconsin. Today I am honored to join with them. Thousands of dedicated Wisconsin public workers provide vital services for Wisconsin citizens. They are the teachers, nurses and child care workers who take care of us and our families. These hard working people are under an unprecedented attack to take away their basic rights to have a voice and collectively bargain at work.
“Budget crisis” theater
Forrest Wilder in the Texas Observer notes that the Lone Star State is facing a $27 million shortfall of its own. He argues that Republicans are construing this relative small shortfall as a “budget crisis” in order to imbue their crusade against public services with a false sense of urgency. The budget gap could be bridged with a small and relatively painless tax increase, Wilder notes, but Republicans only want to talk about cuts.
Raise our taxes
Fifteen thousand Illinoisans massed in the state capital with an unusual demand for their state legislators: Raise our taxes! The Save Our State rally was one of the largest citizen assemblies in the history of the state legislature, David Moberg reports for In These Times. The event was organized by the Responsible Budget Coalition (RBC), an alliance of more than 300 organizations including social service agencies, public employee unions, and religious and civic groups. The RBC is calling on legislators to fix flaws in the Illinois tax structure that threaten essential services and the long-term financial health of the state.
No help for 99ers
Rep. Barbara Lee’s (D-CA) bid to attach a 14-week unemployment insurance extension for Americans whose benefits have run out (known as 99ers because they have already been unemployed for at least 99 weeks) to the continuing resolution to fund the government proved unsuccessful last week. Ed Brayton of the Michigan Messenger reports that the provision foundered late last Wednesday due to a procedural objection.
This post features links to the best independent, progressive reporting about the economy by members of The Media Consortium. It is free to reprint. Visit the Audit for a complete list of articles on economic issues, or follow us on Twitter. And for the best progressive reporting on critical economy, environment, health care and immigration issues, check out The Mulch, The Pulse and The Diaspora. This is a project of The Media Consortium, a network of leading independent media outlets.By Lindsay Beyerstein, Media Consortium blogger
Tens of thousands of people... more
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With the backing of a compliant Congress, corrupt bankers and failed corporate executives now are receiving record compensation after robbing the American Treasury of trillions of dollars, but that same Congress can’t see fit to help those most in need. This American tragedy won’t improve unless Americans demand more accountability from their government. Unfortunately, even if the American public finally opens its eyes fully to the fact that the middle class and poor are being financially disadvantaged and hustled for the benefit of the most well-to-do, change will take more time than people in Ms. Jarrin’s position can wait.With the backing of a compliant Congress, corrupt bankers and failed corporate... more
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The title of this story is a direct quote from Rhonda Taylor, shown on Ed's February 9, 2011 broadcast, discussing the plight of uninsured people in the prime of their lives whose jobs have been shipped overseas as well as older people who are undesirable because they "cost too much to employ," according to Ed Schultz, so they are forced to sell family keepsakes for food, among them Gerry DePietro in the Philadelphia area, forced to sell her gold wedding ring, a gift from her late husband married to her for 37 years, for $20. She and others continue to be maligned and degraded by congressional Republicans.
Ed says untold millions of Americans are affected by joblessness, not just the unemployed but members of their families as well. President Obama doesn't get adequate credit for preserving the auto industry, among our nation's largest employers. Ed sees a priceless opportunity to improve infrastructure such as the $53 billion high-speed rail plan VP Joe Biden announced Tuesday, February 8 http://bit.ly/epT3QQ #cnn, which could aid commuters as part of a long-range plan to improve our economy. During his radio broadcast earlier that day, Ed Schultz proposed a 3-Day Workweek to help the 99ers (those who have been unemployed for over 99 weeks).
Schultz suggests that there is more than enough work nationwide for people to do 6 hours a day for a maximum of 18 hours a week, that it would encourage both morale and productivity among the unemployed, and that our economy needs workers on a part time, temporary basis and could afford to pay health benefits.
Please express support for Democrat Barbara Lee of California and Democrat Bobby Scott of Virginia who are working in the House of Representatives to extend benefits for anyone unemployed longer than 6 months. Watch video at http://bit.ly/f6lmfdThe title of this story is a direct quote from Rhonda Taylor, shown on Ed's... more
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A new 99er video titled “We Need Jobs Bill, Not Bull” has been released by Unemployed Workers Action Group.A new 99er video titled “We Need Jobs Bill, Not Bull” has been released by... more
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99ers make trek to Washington D.C. and participate in the One Nation Working Together rally. A great rally that included a wide variety of citizens and groups concerned about jobs and equal economic justice.99ers make trek to Washington D.C. and participate in the One Nation Working Together... more
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Since September 2008 it’s estimated that as many as 18 million Americans have lost their jobs.
Since September 2008 it’s estimated that somewhere between 18 and 25 million Americans became unemployed or under-employed.
Since September 2008 it’s estimated that of the many jobs lost at least 8 million are never coming back.
Since September 2008 it’s estimated more than 1.4 million Americans have been without work for 99 months.
When people lose their jobs they also lose what little chance at influence on their elected representatives they might have had.
Even combined the collective can't keep up with the top 1%. the top 1% are worth more than the bottom 95%.
The less disposable income the less influence. Capitalists have made it so money is the mother's milk of governance. Governance is not politics. Politics is evil, misanthropic and mean-spirited on the main--- on its best terms.
This is besides the fact that the folk's watch dog, the press, is greatly curtailed in part due to the economy but mostly because of the transitioning media platforms.
It is said that the history of the American worker is a short one; farmer, laborer and now information manager.
The history of media may be even shorter. Less than six years ago every major radio station, television station and newspaper in America was in the hands of six transnational corporations. Today that is four transnational corporations. We hear what those oligarchs want us to hear, see and read. There are ways around the fact that more than 90% of all information is controlled by a few.
There are sources. You just have to know where to look. You just have to turn off the loud, bass-blasting noise.
Many of these sources are cited in this blog.
If you do look you might find a book written thirty years ago by economist Robert Reich entitled, “The Next American Frontier.” In it Reich suggested it was time for America to transition to the 21st Century. He susggested we do so by letting go old industries and embracing new ones.
New industries Reich profferred were photovoltaics, robotics and technology (computers). We didn’t listen. Others were listening and are doing quite well.
“No man is a prophet in his own land” I suppose.
Ours is a most unmendable misfortune.
Hasta Siempre,
More:
The Washington Independent's Annie Lowrey on unemployment and the web - 'The 99ers'
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ElbJ5AkO_I
Katrina: Five Years Later, poor, African-American, disenfranchised and up the sh-t creek without a paddle….
Law and Disorder
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/law-disorder/?utm_campaign=homepage&utm_medium=proglist&utm_source=proglist
After Katrina, New Orleans Cops Were Told They Could Shoot Looters
http://www.propublica.org/nola
Hitler Jewish? DNA Tests Show Dictator May Have 'Had Jewish And African Roots'
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/08/25/hitler-jewish-dna-tests-s_n_693568.html
Finding a Bridge Over the Void
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/15/jobs/15search.html
The Next American Frontier
http://www.amazon.com/Next-American-Frontier-Robert-Reich/dp/0812910672
Spike Lee's If God Is Willing and Da Creek Don't Rise Review
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/george-alexander/spike-lees-if-god-is-will_b_690865.html
Spike Lee's 'If God Is Willing:' New Orleans After Katrina -- and After BP
http://www.politicsdaily.com/2010/08/05/spike-lees-if-god-is-willing-new-orleans-after-katrina-an/
The Next American Frontier
http://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/37532/william-diebold-jr/the-next-american-frontier
Bexar County: Public Policy; of drones, big brother and the ever growing police state America
http://robertruiz-respublica.blogspot.com/2010/08/public-policy-of-drones-big-brother-and.html
Where’s “w?” the best at being worst
How 'Worst President' Ended Up on Coin
http://www.aolnews.com/surge-desk/article/new-1-james-buchanan-coin-a-lightning-rod-for-program-critics/19600985?icid=main|htmlws-main-w|dl1|link3|http%3A%2F%2Fwww.aolnews.com%2Fsurge-desk%2Farticle%2Fnew-1-james-buchanan-coin-a-lightning-rod-for-program-critics%2F19600985
'Ground Zero Mosque': Latest In A Litany Of Killer Phrases
http://www.npr.org/blogs/watchingwashington/2010/08/20/129319446/?sc=nl&cc=ph-20100822
Rallies Over Proposed Mosque Near Ground Zero Get Heated
http://www.aolnews.com/nation/article/new-york-city-mosque-rallies-over-mosque-near-ground-zero-get-heated/19603484?icid=main|htmlws-main-w|dl1|link1|http%3A%2F%2Fwww.aolnews.com%2Fnation%2Farticle%2Fnew-york-city-mosque-rallies-over-mosque-near-ground-zero-get-heated%2F19603484
As GOP civil war rages, Democrats look to benefit
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_republican_fight
Wal-Mart Stores appeals sex discrimination case
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/us_walmart_appealSince September 2008 it’s estimated that as many as 18 million Americans have... more
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We can only hope that the Federal extension of unemployment benefits is passed in the Senate tomorrow.
Some will breathe a sigh of relief, but what about those who have surpassed their 99 weeks of unemployment benefits?
Called the "99ers" these are people who, have left no stone unturned in looking for work, are relying on friends and family for food and shelter and frankly are at their wit's end.
According to the Washington Post, at the end of June 2010, over 1.4 million people have been unemployed for over 99 weeks.We can only hope that the Federal extension of unemployment benefits is passed in the... more
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H.R. 4213, Tax Extenders bill, Creating American Jobs and Closing Tax Loopholes Act
Whatever you want to call it, the bill is dead in its current form in the Senate. How is this game of political chess being played out?H.R. 4213, Tax Extenders bill, Creating American Jobs and Closing Tax Loopholes Act... more
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As most of you are aware by now, the House passed parts of H.R. 4213 – Tax Extenders bill – on Friday, but here are some follow-up stories.As most of you are aware by now, the House passed parts of H.R. 4213 – Tax... more
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