FreakinDJ
FreakinDJ's JournalThe captains of industry did not lead the transformation to social progress; they resisted it
Dr. Martin Luther King
http://www.local3.com/?q=node/5088
Labor unions played key role in success of Washington march
Fifty years ago last week, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered his famous "I have a dream" speech to a crowd of 250,000 which stretched from the foot of the Lincoln Memorial to the Washington Monument. King's speech immortalized the "March", but the day might not have been such a success without the help of organized labor.
On this Labor Day, despite the more nefarious popular public perception that would come later, it's worth highlighting the positive impact labor unions had on the Civil Rights movement and on that August day in 1963.
"The March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom" was organized by A. Philip Randolph, a member of the ALF-CIO Executive Council. Randolph, who was 74 at the time, had a long union history having organized elevator operators in New York City, dockworkers in Tidewater, Virginia, and having served as president of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters.
Randolph was no stranger to Washington, he had successfully petitioned Presidents Franklin Roosevelt and Harry Truman to end discrimination in defense employment during the war and later to end segregation of America's armed forces. Randolph had suggested a march on Washington before, but had been talked out of it.
http://www.dailyprogress.com/starexponent/opinion/columnists/labor-unions-played-key-role-in-success-of-washington-march/article_a93982a4-13ad-11e3-b1e8-0019bb30f31a.html
You want Change - Join/Support a Labor Union
Huge Fish Kill coming to the Trinity / Klamath Rivers
The Westlands Water District has obtained a court injunction against releasing water down the Trinity River in order to divert the water down to Southern California farms.
Last time this happened in 2002 there was a HUGE fish kill of 78,000 returning Salmon in the river
NEVER AGAIN: Call in, Fax, email, visit, and write the Central Valley Irrigators that are blocking the flows from being releases to avert a Klamath fish kill.
A day of action is being planned, more info at:
https://www.facebook.com/SaveTheKlamathTrinitySalmon
The Klamath and Trinity River salmon are facing dire conditions. Low flows and warm water coupled with an expected large run of salmon are creating the perfect conditions for a Klamath fish kill. During the last fish die off over 60,000 fish died in the Klamath River, devastating local Tribes and coastal fishermen.
The US government has proposed releasing water from the Trinity River, the Klamath's largest Tributary to advert a disaster in the Klamath, a move the Hoopa Valley Tribe and other Klamath River Tribes and communities support. However Westlands Water District and the San Luis &Delta Water Authority from the Central Valley have filed a lawsuit against using the Trinity River water to aid the Trinity and Klamath River salmon. They have obtained a restraining order for at least 9 days against the release of water from a Fresno judge, a move that puts the salmon at immediate risk. The irrigators only have junior water rights as opposed to River Tribes and are using procedural issues within environmental laws to stall action for the salmon.
Please sign the petition here
http://www.change.org/petitions/westlands-water-district-and-the-san-luis-delta-water-authority-allow-the-government-to-release-water-to-avert-a-klamath-fish-kill
The Immigration Hustle: A New Class War on the Besieged Middle Class
The comprehensive immigration bill that passed the Senate, with the strong support of President Obama, is an attack on the American working class. It is also a sop to each partys donor base and a wholesale embrace of cheap labor
The legislation crafted by New York Democrat Chuck Schumer and Florida Republican Marco Rubio looks to grow the economy by suppressing take-home pay for those workers least able to afford it. Under their bill, average wages would be slightly lower than under current law through 2024, according to the Congressional Budget Office. So American workers, who have been battered by three decades of wage stagnation and now by a recent payroll-tax hike, are being asked to take still another decade for the team. Meanwhile, the stock market flirts with new records
In the fifth year of the Obama era, this is not your fathers Democratic Party. New Deal? Fair Deal? Happy days are here again? Not so much
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2013/07/14/the-immigration-hustle-a-new-class-war-on-the-besieged-middle-class.html
ICE agents raid Arizona car wash chain
(CNN) -- A chain of Phoenix-area car washes that's raised thousands for local charities, including numerous law enforcement agencies, found itself the target of a sweeping raid Saturday by law officers.
Special agents from Immigration and Custom Enforcement's homeland security investigations unit conducted raids at 13 Danny's Family Car Wash locations in central Arizona, plus three locations tied to its outsourced staffing service provider, HR Betty, said ICE spokesman Andrew Munoz.
"We are ... going after businesses that are a magnet for unauthorized workers," Munoz said.
The action came as part of a criminal investigation into alleged criminal fraud, identity theft and financial violations, according to the agency. Few details were immediately available, though more would come out if an indictment in the case is unsealed.
http://www.cnn.com/2013/08/17/justice/arizona-criminal-immigration-raid/index.html?hpt=ju_c2
Senate’s pivotal 2014 races take shape
WASHINGTON The battle for Congress wont fully engage until next year, but it sure looks like election season now as political activity explodes this summer at Americas county fairs, town halls and campaign fundraisers.
<snip>
The most closely watched contests involve Senate seats. Republicans are expected to need a net gain of six to win control in the next Congress. At this point, West Virginia, South Dakota and Montana are all seen as good bets to go from blue to red. The GOP would need to win just three more and hold on to seats in Kentucky and Georgia.
<snip>
Outrage over the 2010 health care law helped Republicans elect 87 freshmen to the House that year and win control of the chamber. If theres any issue that could spark a new Republican resurgence, it might be that same law.
By the fall of 2014, the laws key provision requiring most Americans to obtain insurance coverage or pay a penalty will have been in effect nearly a year. If people are confused, think their own health care is suffering or think theyre paying more, Democrats might pay a price.
Read more here: http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2013/08/14/199376/heres-where-senates-pivotal-2014.html#storylink=cpy
Look how divided we are over NSA Spying and think again next time you see post "GOP Divided" yada yada yada
The Dems are poised to loose it all and usher in the most draconian Tea Party Jihadist ever. We will see the disassembly of Labor Unions, Healthcare, Worker's Rights, Voter Rights, and Civil Rights.
Do you Trust this President and Congress to Overhaul Corporate Taxes
In No Way do I trust them to Represent the Interest of the Working Class Americans when it comes to Overhauling the Corporate Tax CodeThe "Deal Sweeteners" already being floated out of Washington are cuts to Social Security, Medicare, and a Roll Back of Home Mortgage Interest Deductions.
The majority of the American Public believes the drivel we have a "Progressive Tax Rate" on personal income which simply isn't true. Families making as little as $130K once deductions are figured in will pay a LOWER Rate of taxation then families making as little as $50K annually. Millionaires as Mittens so eloquently demonstrated pay even less.
Now Consider the Corporate Tax Code, which through numerous special deductions and Tax Avoidance Strategies provides financial incentives to outsource American Jobs to China. Allows Mega-Profitable Multinational Corporations such as Apple, Google, and GE pay little or NO Taxes at all.
A Corporation can move all their assets offshore to avoid Taxation, and receive a Tax Credit for doing it.., but if you or me wanted to move our Hard Earned 401K Savings offshore so we could retire in a place where we could afford Healthcare then we would have to pay Capitol Gains on that money.
Sorry Folks - but my message to President Obama on this one is "Thanks but No Thanks"
After he caved on every issue of the ACA which would have actually benefited Working Class Families - "Thanks but No Thanks"
After they gave nothing but Lip Service to saving Millions of Families going through foreclosure - "Thanks but No Thanks"
After allowing Wall St. Banks to walk Scott Free after Trashing the Economy and even Rewarded them with $Trillions in QE1, QE2, and now QE3 - "Thanks but No Thanks"
Sorry - but any thing that would come out of this Group of Corporate Thugs would be merely "Lipstick on a Pig"
Fast Food Workers Stage Walkouts To Demand Higher Wages
Fast Food Workers Stage Walkouts To Demand Higher WagesNEW YORK (CBSNewYork) Fast food workers in New York and six other major cities have organized a one-day strike demanding a living wage and benefits.
Protesters gathered outside the McDonalds at 51st Street and Broadway in Manhattan on Monday, chanting Hold the burgers, hold the fries, make our wages super size and Hey, hey! Ho, ho! Poverty wages got to go.
Every month Im at a deficit, every paycheck Im at a deficit, Burger King worker Tamara Green said. I want to feel like Im worth something. I dont feel like I have a value; we dont feel like we have a value.
Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney said service sector positions are a growing part of the economy, but many workers are not making enough money to live on.
Literally, the government ends up subsidizing these workers with food stamps, Maloney said.
http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2013/07/29/fast-food-workers-stage-walkouts-to-demand-higher-wages/
US fast food workers walk out in organised strike against low wages
Source: Guardian News and Media
New York City-based campaign spreads around the country as workers unite to demand minimum $15 per hour wage
Thousands of fast food workers went on strike in cities across the US on Monday as part of a campaign for better wages.
Employees of selected branches of McDonald's, Burger King, KFC and Wendy's walked off their shifts at various points throughout the day. In New York City more than a hundred workers marched to a McDonald's in Union Square, chanting for the restaurant to "supersize" their wages.
The Fast Food Forward campaign is calling for workers to receive a minimum of $15 per hour, more than double the federal minimum wage.
"A lot of the workers are living in poverty, you know, not being able to afford to put food on the table or take the train to work," Jonathan Westin, director of Fast Food Forward, told New York's 1010 WINS radio station.
Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/jul/29/fast-food-workers-strike-wages
Bout Time
Profile Information
Member since: 2002Number of posts: 17,644