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© 2011 The Union Label Blog & Grassfire Nation
Calling for civil unrest and the end to private property rights, Sharon Black of the Baltimore All-Peoples Congress, tried desperately to rouse communists and socialists everywhere at the Workers World Party’s annual conference on November 13th and 14th in New York City.
Black — whose name is a fitting one for her dark agenda — wants an end to capitalism and the United States of America and yearns for a return to the glory days of the Soviet Union. “Socialist ideology which reflects the highest level of working class of solidarity” Black said, “which points in the direction of eliminating all exploitation and emancipating humankind has been in retreat since the collapse of the Soviet Union.”
Yes, let’s go back to the oppression and gulags of the old Soviet Union!! This pampered, western moron, this idiot fellow traveller of an evil empire that fell years ago, is what passes for an intellectual on the left.
Just who is the Sharon Black person? A union member, naturally. She is (or at least was, I can’t find much current info on her) a shop steward for the United Food and Commercial Workers Union (UFCW), Local #27. She is also a founding member of the All People’s Congress of Baltimore, a left-wing “community group” affiliated with the socialist Workers World Party.
Remember this woman whenever you think abut unions. These anti-American types infest unions from top to bottom.
Remember how Obama said that if you liked your healthcare plan you could keep it? Apparently someone forgot to tell the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) in New York because they’ve announced that Obamacare is forcing them to drop coverage for the children of its 30,000 low-wage members.
The union will be dropping coverage for 6,000 children starting in the new year because new state and federal rules will drive up its costs 60% causing it to face a “dramatic shortfall” between what employers contribute and the premiums charged by the insurance provider.
The union is blaming both state and federal rules but had this to say about the new rules Obamacare is forcing upon it.
“In addition, new federal health-care reform legislation requires plans with dependent coverage to expand that coverage up to age 26,” Behroozi wrote in a letter to members Oct. 22. “Our limited resources are already stretched as far as possible, and meeting this new requirement would be financially impossible.”
And what is the solution to this, wonders the SEIU? Why more payoffs from government, of course.
“We hope the state of New York will do the right thing and provide the funding necessary for this most vulnerable population of direct caregivers,” the union said in a statement.
Unbelievable. Government makes laws forcing a union to drop coverage after telling everyone it would never do such and thing and the union wants even more government as a solution?
How does that saying go? “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again always expecting different results.”
Connie Hair has an informative piece at Human Events about what Democrats are hoping to do in the next few weeks in this lame duck session by pushing another big union bailout.
In October, Sen. Tom Harkin (D, Iowa) heard witnesses advancing the “Guaranteed Retirement Account” (GRA) idea authored by left-wing activist and purported “labor economist” Theresa Guilarducci.
As an aside, Guilarducci being called an “economist” is an hilarious conceit. She is nothing of the kind but is merely a big labor activist disguising herself as an “economist.”
Anyway, the Democrats would love to slip this budget busting nonsense past the American people in this zombie congress. Here is how Hair defines the policy:
In a nutshell, under the GRA system government would seize private 401(k) accounts, setting up an additional 5% mandatory payroll tax to dole out a “fair” pension to everyone using that confiscated money coupled with the mandated contributions. This would, of course, be a sister government ponzi scheme working in tandem with Social Security, the primary purpose being to give big government politicians additional taxpayer funds to raid to pay for their out-of-control spending.
Pro-marketeers are worried that this dead-man-walking congress will try to attach this thing to another bill in order to push it through at the last second quite despite what voters want.
Of course this is yet one more big government boondoggle meant to pay off unions for spending millions on electing Democrats and little else. It certainly makes no common sense or economic sense.
The sooner these people get out of Washington the better.
Harry Reid survived his brush with electoral death winning yet another term as Nevada’s Senator. Reid knows what side of his bread is buttered, too. Big Labor gave him millions in campaign donations and Reid knows who he owes — or rather who owns him. Now that he’s fairly won he’s promising his patrons in Big Labor that he intends to push one of their favorite laws.
Reid has said that one of his first priorities will be to push a cloture vote on the Public Safety Employer-Employee Cooperation Act (H.R.413) that he ramrodded earlier this year.
This act is focused on the unionization of the nation’s police, firemen and other first responders. It would replace with federal rules all state laws on collective bargaining between state and local governments and their first responder unions and would greatly empower unions to dictate pay scales and benefits on a national level.
This would destroy the ability for local governments to affect their own police and firemen by taking away from local officials and voters any ability to make rules and regulations to control local first responders.
Imagine the loss of control that local governments will face when first responder unions no longer have to deal with local rules and laws but can force a federal one-size-fits-all style rule on those local governments. Local governments will no longer be able to determine pay scales and benefits and will lose control of their own ability to budget. Reid’s plan will also completely remove the ability of voters to have any say in local matters as a top down control from Washington will rule the day where it concerns local police, fire and other first responders.
Also remember, if a local government wants to fire a policeman or fireman they now have to deal with local laws and home-based unions. If H.R.413 passes no local government will be able to fire a cop or fireman without appealing to the federal government, a source far, far removed from the local area and a source completely unfamiliar with the needs and interests of that local area.
Unfortunately, there is a large contingent of Republicans supporting this nanny state, big government take over. Many think that what they are doing is leveling the playing field for all first responders and setting rules that can govern them equally. In this age of terrorism when our first responders are so important it almost makes sense. After all, wouldn’t it be smart to have our first responders treated regularly across the nation so that we can rely on them for their services?
It almost makes sense. That is until you think about it harder.
In truth this law will wildly inflate the costs of our police and fire protection to state and local governments. With a nationalized set of rules the high costs of large governments will be visited on the smallest, first responders will no longer be under any local control at all, union bosses will gain outsized powers to control local government budgets and costs will soar as a result. And who can’t imagine this is the first step on the road to a national fire department, a national police force or other such bloated country-wide force controlled by politicians in Washington D.C. And imagine the soaring costs of court cases as these union disputes become federal cases in every instance.
H.R.413 also outrageously violates the most basic tenet of American politics: local control. This is the worst example of statism, one that must be defeated.
Conservatives need to tell their Representatives to drop their co-sponsorship of this un-American attempt to nationalize our police and fire departments. After all, Big Labor is keen to force this bill through Congress this session. If Big Labor is hot on this one, how can any Republican in good conscience support this thing?
Republican Co-Sponsors
- Rep. Judy Biggert [R, IL-13]
- Rep. Brian Bilbray [R, CA-50]
- Rep. Vern Buchanan [R, FL-13]
- Rep. Dan Burton [R, IN-5]
- Rep. David Camp [R, MI-4]
- Rep. Shelley Capito [R, WV-2]
- Rep. Geoff Davis [R, KY-4]
- Rep. Charles Dent [R, PA-15]
- Rep. Lincoln Diaz-Balart [R, FL-21]
- Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart [R, FL-25]
- Rep. John Duncan [R, TN-2]
- Rep. Jo Ann Emerson [R, MO-8]
- Rep. Elton Gallegly [R, CA-24]
- Rep. Jim Gerlach [R, PA-6]
- Rep. Samuel Graves [R, MO-6]
- Rep. Duncan Hunter [R, CA-52]
- Rep. Timothy Johnson [R, IL-15]
- Rep. Walter Jones [R, NC-3]
- Rep. Peter King [R, NY-3]
- Rep. Mark Kirk [R, IL-10]
- Rep. Leonard Lance [R, NJ-7]
- Rep. Steven LaTourette [R, OH-14]
- Rep. Frank LoBiondo [R, NJ-2]
- Rep. Thaddeus McCotter [R, MI-11]
- Rep. John McHugh [R, NY-23]
- Rep. Candice Miller [R, MI-10]
- Rep. Tim Murphy [R, PA-18]
- Rep. Thomas Petri [R, WI-6]
- Rep. Todd Platts [R, PA-19]
- Rep. Ted Poe [R, TX-2]
- Rep. Dennis Rehberg [R, MT-0]
- Rep. Dave Reichert [R, WA-8]
- Rep. Michael Rogers [R, MI-8]
- Rep. Thomas Rooney [R, FL-16]
- Rep. Peter Roskam [R, IL-6]
- Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen [R, FL-18]
- Rep. Paul Ryan [R, WI-1]
- Rep. Timothy Ryan [D, OH-17]
- Rep. Aaron Schock [R, IL-18]
- Rep. John Shimkus [R, IL-19]
- Rep. William Shuster [R, PA-9]
- Rep. John Sullivan [R, OK-1]
- Rep. Lee Terry [R, NE-2]
- Rep. Todd Tiahrt [R, KS-4]
- Rep. Patrick Tiberi [R, OH-12]
- Rep. Michael Turner [R, OH-3]
- Rep. Frederick Upton [R, MI-6]
- Rep. Zach Wamp [R, TN-3]
- Rep. Edward Whitfield [R, KY-1]
- Rep. Donald Young [R, AK-0]
Democrat Co-Sponsors
- Main Sponsor: Dale Kildee [D, MI]
- Rep. Gary Ackerman [D, NY-5]
- Rep. John Adler [D, NJ-3]
- Rep. Jason Altmire [D, PA-4]
- Rep. Robert Andrews [D, NJ-1]
- Rep. Michael Arcuri [D, NY-24]
- Rep. Joe Baca [D, CA-43]
- Rep. Tammy Baldwin [D, WI-2]
- Rep. John Barrow [D, GA-12]
- Rep. Melissa Bean [D, IL-8]
- Rep. Shelley Berkley [D, NV-1]
- Rep. Howard Berman [D, CA-28]
- Rep. Robert Berry [D, AR-1]
- Rep. Sanford Bishop [D, GA-2]
- Rep. Timothy Bishop [D, NY-1]
- Rep. Earl Blumenauer [D, OR-3]
- Rep. Dan Boren [D, OK-2]
- Rep. Leonard Boswell [D, IA-3]
- Rep. Robert Brady [D, PA-1]
- Rep. Bruce Braley [D, IA-1]
- Rep. Corrine Brown [D, FL-3]
- Rep. Lois Capps [D, CA-23]
- Rep. Michael Capuano [D, MA-8]
- Rep. Dennis Cardoza [D, CA-18]
- Rep. Russ Carnahan [D, MO-3]
- Rep. Christopher Carney [D, PA-10]
- Rep. Ben Chandler [D, KY-6]
- Rep. Judy Chu [D, CA-32]
- Rep. Yvette Clarke [D, NY-11]
- Rep. William Clay [D, MO-1]
- Rep. Emanuel Cleaver [D, MO-5]
- Rep. Steve Cohen [D, TN-9]
- Rep. Gerald Connolly [D, VA-11]
- Rep. John Conyers [D, MI-14]
- Rep. Jim Cooper [D, TN-5]
- Rep. Jerry Costello [D, IL-12]
- Rep. Joe Courtney [D, CT-2]
- Rep. Henry Cuellar [D, TX-28]
- Rep. Elijah Cummings [D, MD-7]
- Rep. Kathleen Dahlkemper [D, PA-3]
- Rep. Lincoln Davis [D, TN-4]
- Rep. Artur Davis [D, AL-7]
- Rep. Danny Davis [D, IL-7]
- Rep. Diana DeGette [D, CO-1]
- Rep. William Delahunt [D, MA-10]
- Rep. Rosa DeLauro [D, CT-3]
- Rep. Norman Dicks [D, WA-6]
- Rep. John Dingell [D, MI-15]
- Rep. Joe Donnelly [D, IN-2]
- Rep. Michael Doyle [D, PA-14]
- Rep. Steve Driehaus [D, OH-1]
- Rep. Keith Ellison [D, MN-5]
- Rep. Brad Ellsworth [D, IN-8]
- Rep. Eliot Engel [D, NY-17]
- Rep. Anna Eshoo [D, CA-14]
- Rep. Sam Farr [D, CA-17]
- Rep. Bob Filner [D, CA-51]
- Rep. John Garamendi [D, CA-10]
- Rep. Gabrielle Giffords [D, AZ-8]
- Rep. Charles Gonzalez [D, TX-20]
- Rep. Barton Gordon [D, TN-6]
- Rep. Alan Grayson [D, FL-8]
- Rep. Al Green [D, TX-9]
- Rep. Raymond Green [D, TX-29]
- Rep. Parker Griffith [D, AL-5]
- Rep. Raul Grijalva [D, AZ-7]
- Rep. Luis Gutiérrez [D, IL-4]
- Rep. John Hall [D, NY-19]
- Rep. Deborah Halvorson [D, IL-11]
- Rep. Phil Hare [D, IL-17]
- Rep. Alcee Hastings [D, FL-23]
- Rep. Martin Heinrich [D, NM-1]
- Rep. Brian Higgins [D, NY-27]
- Rep. Baron Hill [D, IN-9]
- Rep. Maurice Hinchey [D, NY-22]
- Rep. Mazie Hirono [D, HI-2]
- Rep. Paul Hodes [D, NH-2]
- Rep. Tim Holden [D, PA-17]
- Rep. Rush Holt [D, NJ-12]
- Rep. Jay Inslee [D, WA-1]
- Rep. Jesse Jackson [D, IL-2]
- Rep. Sheila Jackson-Lee [D, TX-18]
- Rep. Henry Johnson [D, GA-4]
- Rep. Paul Kanjorski [D, PA-11]
- Rep. Marcy Kaptur [D, OH-9]
- Rep. Patrick Kennedy [D, RI-1]
- Rep. Ronald Kind [D, WI-3]
- Rep. Frank Kratovil [D, MD-1]
- Rep. Dennis Kucinich [D, OH-10]
- Rep. James Langevin [D, RI-2]
- Rep. Rick Larsen [D, WA-2]
- Rep. John Larson [D, CT-1]
- Rep. Barbara Lee [D, CA-9]
- Rep. Sander Levin [D, MI-12]
- Rep. John Lewis [D, GA-5]
- Rep. Daniel Lipinski [D, IL-3]
- Rep. David Loebsack [D, IA-2]
- Rep. Zoe Lofgren [D, CA-16]
- Rep. Nita Lowey [D, NY-18]
- Rep. Ben Luján [D, NM-3]
- Rep. Carolyn Maloney [D, NY-14]
- Rep. Jim Matheson [D, UT-2]
- Rep. Doris Matsui [D, CA-5]
- Rep. Carolyn McCarthy [D, NY-4]
- Rep. Betty McCollum [D, MN-4]
- Rep. James McDermott [D, WA-7]
- Rep. James McGovern [D, MA-3]
- Rep. Kendrick Meek [D, FL-17]
- Rep. Gregory Meeks [D, NY-6]
- Rep. Michael Michaud [D, ME-2]
- Rep. Bradley Miller [D, NC-13]
- Rep. George Miller [D, CA-7]
- Rep. Walter Minnick [D, ID-1]
- Rep. Gwen Moore [D, WI-4]
- Rep. Dennis Moore [D, KS-3]
- Rep. Christopher Murphy [D, CT-5]
- Rep. Patrick Murphy [D, PA-8]
- Rep. John Murtha [D, PA-12]
- Rep. Grace Napolitano [D, CA-38]
- Rep. Eleanor Norton [D, DC-0]
- Rep. James Oberstar [D, MN-8]
- Rep. John Olver [D, MA-1]
- Rep. Frank Pallone [D, NJ-6]
- Rep. William Pascrell [D, NJ-8]
- Rep. Edward Pastor [D, AZ-4]
- Rep. Donald Payne [D, NJ-10]
- Rep. Ed Perlmutter [D, CO-7]
- Rep. Gary Peters [D, MI-9]
- Rep. Collin Peterson [D, MN-7]
- Rep. Pedro Pierluisi [D, PR-0]
- Rep. Chellie Pingree [D, ME-1]
- Rep. Earl Pomeroy [D, ND-0]
- Rep. David Price [D, NC-4]
- Rep. Mike Quigley [D, IL-5]
- Rep. Nick Rahall [D, WV-3]
- Rep. Laura Richardson [D, CA-37]
- Rep. Ciro Rodriguez [D, TX-23]
- Rep. Mike Ross [D, AR-4]
- Rep. Steven Rothman [D, NJ-9]
- Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard [D, CA-34]
- Rep. Dutch Ruppersberger [D, MD-2]
- Rep. Bobby Rush [D, IL-1]
- Rep. Linda Sánchez [D, CA-39]
- Rep. John Sarbanes [D, MD-3]
- Rep. Janice Schakowsky [D, IL-9]
- Rep. Mark Schauer [D, MI-7]
- Rep. Adam Schiff [D, CA-29]
- Rep. Allyson Schwartz [D, PA-13]
- Rep. David Scott [D, GA-13]
- Rep. Robert Scott [D, VA-3]
- Rep. José Serrano [D, NY-16]
- Rep. Joe Sestak [D, PA-7]
- Rep. Carol Shea-Porter [D, NH-1]
- Rep. Brad Sherman [D, CA-27]
- Rep. Heath Shuler [D, NC-11]
- Rep. Albio Sires [D, NJ-13]
- Rep. Adam Smith [D, WA-9]
- Rep. Victor Snyder [D, AR-2]
- Rep. Zachary Space [D, OH-18]
- Rep. Jackie Speier [D, CA-12]
- Rep. Bart Stupak [D, MI-1]
- Rep. Betty Sutton [D, OH-13]
- Rep. John Tierney [D, MA-6]
- Rep. Paul Tonko [D, NY-21]
- Rep. Peter Visclosky [D, IN-1]
- Rep. Timothy Walz [D, MN-1]
- Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz [D, FL-20]
- Rep. Diane Watson [D, CA-33]
- Rep. Melvin Watt [D, NC-12]
- Rep. Henry Waxman [D, CA-30]
- Rep. Peter Welch [D, VT-0]
- Rep. Robert Wexler [D, FL-19]
- Rep. Lynn Woolsey [D, CA-6]
- Rep. David Wu [D, OR-1]
- Rep. John Yarmuth [D, KY-3]
Meg Whitman’s race for Governor of California seemed to take a nose dive right after it was discovered late in the campaign that she had employed a maid that was an illegal alien. The San Francisco Chronicle reports on the “tantalizing mystery” of just who it was that launched this torpedo at the Whitman campaign. Unsurprisingly, the SFChron has discovered that it was a union that did the dirty work.
The illegal alien, Nicandra Diaz, worked for about 8 years for the Whitman’s but was fired in 2009 once Whitman found out she was an illegal. So how did this illegal alien get so much press?
In early September, Diaz turned to a friend who knew a member of the powerful, Oakland-based California Nurses Association, The Chronicle has learned.
The union called in two lawyers for Diaz: Marc Van Der Hout, a longtime immigration attorney in San Francisco, and celebrity feminist attorney Gloria Allred, a fierce workplace rights litigator who arranged for Diaz to tell her story in a live-webcast news conference.
Naturally the union had been big supporters of re-Governor Jerry “Moonbeam” Brown and once they found Diaz they were more than happy to use the woman to destroy the better gubernatorial candidate, Whitman.
Once again we see unions serving as the worst influence possible on our electoral system.
When it comes to trying to improve student performance in public schools, many factors come together. One of the major issues is teacher performance and how best to judge teacher effectiveness. The “value-added” approach attempts statistically to show how an individual teacher can make a difference – positively or negatively – in how students do, regardless of class size or background…
CLICK HERE to go to the podcast.
Eric Odom (Media Director)
Warner Todd Huston