Ben Chandler Endorses Teamster Endorsed Obama

Introduction of Chandler by the man - Yarmuth.

Hat Tip: Hillbilly Report

Mitch McConnell misses the boat.

from DMI blog:

Mitch McConnell, the Minority Leader in the Senate, recently said, "We think that [the Ledbetter Fair Pay Act] is primarily designed to create a massive amount of new litigation in our country, and I think that is the reason for the resistance to its passage on our side."

The boat on this one is the realization that there is rampant discrimination that needs to be litigated. If it wasn't there, then it there wouldn't be any. People shouldn't be afraid of litigation when they will win. I can sue Mitch tomorrow, doesn't mean I'll win. On the other hand, if he has discriminated against women, then he should be afraid. As should all sexists.

The Quest for a Living Wage: Unions vs. The Minimum Wage

Executive Summary:

The change from an Agrarian economy to an Industrial economy has changed the density that the average person lives in. In highly dense areas, we are more dependent on others irregardless of whether they provide services. The better our neighbors do the better off we all are. Our neighbors may work low skilled jobs to where a free market in labor is unable to provide them with the necessary resources to not be drains on our wealth. With more urbanization, even before industrialism took off, people saw the need to reward those working with the ability to not be parasites on their neighbors wealth. They first called for unions. They then called for a 'Living Wage'. A 'Living Wage' is impeded by capitalists, who only see the short term costs and race to the bottom trying to be free riders. One of the major proponents of a 'Living Wage' is labor unions, even though it is against their best interest.

The best this country has been able to do is make a clumsy attempt at a Living Wage named the Minimum Wage. This paper first explores the history of the Minimum Wage - it's implementation, advocacy, and impediments. It also makes it clear that a major driving force behind Minimum Wage increases is organized labor. It then points out the shortcomings of Minimum Wage and concludes with an argument for organizing low wage workers instead of pushing for Minimum Wage.

Whole Paper Here

Making sure this has been posted here:

The GOP stopped it again. They have just enough folks to stop important legislation.

Equal Opportunity

Hat Tip to the Hillbilly Report and PoliticsTV.com

Pennslyvania is a case for fair trade - not free trade.

http://www.epi.org/content.cfm/webfeatures_viewpoints_pa_jobs_and_nafta

Opinion pieces and speeches by EPI staff and associates.

[ THIS PIECE ORIGINALLY APPEARED IN NYTIMES.COM BLOG ON APRIL 15, 2008. ]

Pennsylvania stagnation: Is NAFTA the culprit?

By Robert E. Scott

The Democratic presidential primary in Pennsylvania has drawn attention to troubles in the state’s manufacturing sector and to the role played by the North American Free Trade Agreement specifically and by global trade generally. Despite isolated success stories, Pennsylvania manufacturing has experienced job loss and stagnation for over a decade. Not everything that has gone wrong with the Pennsylvania economy is due to trade, but the worries of workers in the state (and throughout the country) about what globalization means for their living standards are well-founded.

http://www.epi.org/content.cfm/webfeatures_viewpoints_pa_jobs_and_nafta

Everybody's Mad

for listening to Republicans talk about the Democratic Primary.

So I listened to the Sunday Sports Talk Shows for football stuff. They didn't produce. I did this by plugging in an old unreliable alarm clock. The shows last for multiples of hours and the sleep function is an hour so that's how I listened. The alarm clock was set to go off at what it thought was midnight or noon or whatever the default time is. It just went off again.

What do I hear but Leland Conway feigning anger! Rush Limbaugh has gone mad endorsing Hillary votes whenever possible (that's a big huge sign in favor of Obama folks). And the Sunday political shows featured Republicans feigning anger over Obama's words.

Here's a clue folks, people really are angry.

Black people are angry over racism.
The typical white person is angry over their dollars losing their value. The typical white person is angry over trade that isn't really 'free'. The typical white person is mad over corporate GOP control of their livelihoods when they have fucked it all up. I'm white, and I'm mad!
The typical white person living in a small town is angry too!
And yes, as a liberal, I'm mad at the typical small town person for not listening to economic issues. I love saying, "I told you so," typically. But "not this time".

So, what does the corporate GOP do about it? They tell us we should be mad at each other and nothing else matters. It doesn't matter that McCain and McConnell want 100 years in Iraq - a giant hole to throw our best and brightest into to sometimes never see again - nevermind the damn money. It doesn't matter that he wants to keep tax breaks to the rich that cost us our bridges and the people on them when they fall into the river. All that matters is that we are angry - so we should vote for Hillary to keep the status quo on killing Americans for no good reason.

Well, screw them! What matters is that we need an economy that works for people that work. What matters is that we stop throwing away lives - nevermind the money (ok, not really, it matters too) - in Iraq. What matters is the value of our hard earned dollars. What matters is that we recognize we are angry and to deal with it by kicking out the people who are REALLY the one's making us mad. Words aren't sticks and stones - taking our livelihoods is.

The official cereal for the Chinese Games?

The Colbert Report suggests Oppressos. If you don't watch The Daily Show and it you are out of the loop.

South Park however sucks. They had a show 'shoving off' the WGA.

19,000 already?

Last year the Teamsters added 21,000 members. It was a good year in which unions increased in size for the first time in some 30 years. This increase existed even in private industries.

So far this year? 19,000! Whoo hoo! I hope these new members are as excited as I am about being a Teamster!

http://teamsterpower.com/no-joke:-almost-19,000-vote-teamsters-first-quarter

hat tip: DailyKos / Teamster division.

Jack Pattie makes racist comments

"What would 50 cent be like as president?" Then, he went on to throw out just about every stereotype possible. It was a thinly veiled attempt to scare white Kentuckians from a black president.

Giggles all around in the background.

I think I will quit listening to talk radio. I learn a lot more from C-Span and what-not. I'm sick of hearing racism, corporatist (the religion) zealots, and every policy turning into a Morality Issue. I'm sick of hearing about how I don't deserve health insurance because I work part-time while I go to school. Dave Baker said that, and after I objected he started talking about how his day just got worse.

Jack Pattie is the WVLK-AM (590) morning host.

We want to live better - but not like that...

Does McConnell vote against himself?

So, I get this from Megavote:

Amendment to establish an earmark moratorium for FY2009 - Vote Rejected (29-71)

The Senate rejected an amendment to the 2009 budget resolution that would have placed a yearlong moratorium on earmarks, special spending requests used by members of Congress to fund projects in their districts.

Sen. Mitch McConnell voted YES......send e-mail or see bio
Sen. Jim Bunning voted NO......send e-mail or see bio

And I am in disbelief. We have the minority leader in the Senate. His commercials brag about his position as being powerful for winning benefits to his constituents. He couldn't win jack with a moratorium. I would have expected this vote to go the opposite really.

Union Support Pushes Candidate Over the Top.

It is a good year to have unions on your team.

http://blog.aflcio.org/2008/03/12/indiana-union-members-help-send-carson-to-congress/

Kentucky Change to Win Endorses Lunsford for Senate

Lunsford is back in good graces. Good.

from the LCJ:

"We asked him all the hard questions, and we are satisfied that he will be there when the going gets tough," Zuckerman said.

"Why did you pick on UPS?"

http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2008-01-31-cover31_N.htm

The author of that story said on C-Span, airing twice today, that UPS was picked on because:
A: They had a large number of fundraisers.
B: They reported everything they did.

Also, he said that Fed Ex has parties too - and is proud of using an obscure exception to not have to report them. They give their house for non-profit use sometimes. Is it because they love charity? No, it's so they don't have to report.

I'm happy UPS plays by the rules. I'm happy they lobby. They deserve to be able to as long as everything is on the up and up. Fed Ex has not been on the up and up with a lot of things - especially since they went into Ground Service. Courts have said so from the East Coast to the West Coast.