This Thursday, March 24 at 3:00pm Eastern Time, please join People For the American Way, Wisconsin State Senator Chris Larson and Michelle Ringuette of the Service Employees International Union to discuss the Right’s relentless attacks on workers’ rights and the middle class in Wisconsin and across the country.

In Wisconsin, Ohio, Indiana Florida and other states, right-wing governors and legislators have been using budget shortfalls as an excuse to pursue corporate interests’ longtime goals of busting unions, gutting vital programs that serve the poor and middle class and doing away with other protections for working families. Along the way, these lawmakers have led a campaign to demonize public employees and blame them for the economic mess that Wall Street and big corporations caused.

Can you join us on the phone this Thursday for an important PFAW member telebriefing on the national fight to save the middle class and the American Dream? RSVP now.

Space is limited so don’t delay. We’ll email confirmed participants with the call-in information before Thursday.

Senator Chris Larson of Milwaukee was one of the 14 Democratic state senators who heroically crossed state lines in a last ditch effort to prevent Republicans in the Wisconsin legislature from passing Gov. Scott Walker‘s infamous attack on the basic collective bargaining rights of Wisconsin’s public employees. Ultimately, Senate Republicans did an end run around the rules to ram the Governor’s anti-worker plan through, and now an effort to recall some of those senators is underway. Sen. Larson, a true leader in this fight and a member of PFAW Foundation’s Young Elected Officials Network, will provide an update on the situation in Wisconsin.

In addition to Sen. Larson’s Wisconsin update, we’ll hear from SEIU’s Michelle Ringuette about the national landscape and how similar fights are playing out in other states. And PFAW’s leadership will provide an update on some of our activities and involvement on the state level.

Please don’t miss this opportunity and join us this Thursday at 3pm Eastern.

Thank you for your ongoing support.

www.pfaw.org

— Diallo Brooks, Director of Field Mobilization

~ my 2cents ...

tempest Tuesday &some News

03/22/2011 Nativegrl77

I will admit the last couple of days actually felt like spring but only because my nose told me. The NW high 50’s only last a couple of hours a day so ok it’s Spring but it’s still 40’s and high 30’s most of the morning and comes back right around dinner time. That is still a cold day to me but the sunshine definitely is nice.

Good news, VP Biden speaks on the Importance of investing in Education at 10amET if you have a little time tune into President Obama’s and President Funes Press Conference which will start at 4:55pmET and Wednesday, there will be an Open for Questions: Start Up America: Reducing Barriers. These events can be viewed on whitehouse.gov/live …I say stay informed, keep your heart open to other opinions from other places for information aside from cable News and mainstream News especially if you can hear the news from President Obama and or V.P. Biden -from the source the deciders … so to speak. If you miss the events just go to whitehouse.gov and find the schedule.

In response to an article i posted “Help protect the right to choose” …written by MoveOn.org

3/22 My final response to the question …So, when do you believe life begins? 3/22

I believe it probably is when a heartbeat can be heard, which is about at 9weeks depending on the woman. I do not know what you want from me but even with the facts about when life begins does not change my mind about abortion. I believe women should not lose the right to choose be treated as intelligent enough to decide and contrary to popular thought doctors actually do counsel and discuss options but those choices options have been taken away by the Republican Tea Party under the platform of family values when in reality it is family enforcement. It makes no sense to think this is anyone’s business except for the woman and her doctor, it baffles my mind to think a member of congress, a stranger thinks my uterus should be controlled by them because of their own personal beliefs, religion, values. I do believe that the Senate will respect a woman’s right to choose though Republicans feel women should be seen and not heard i guess with the cutting slashing and burning of safe, clean and truly great facilities that help girls, young women and older women on a daily basis for all kinds of things not just abortion. The fact is that places like Planned Parenthood also talk to young men about their responsibilities too regarding contraceptive etc. trying to keep a strong hold on information, procedures and personal choice can only be detrimental to the progress in the realm of women’s health –

3/18 I received a comment. I definitely like getting comments and appreciate comments with a different opinion it makes you decide why you feel the way you do ,stand up, speak out and this current war being waged on us women will take all of us because the alternative is not an option.

3/18 Choosing to kill a baby is not a right. http://www.abortiontruth.com/pictures.html

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3/18 My response …

…I can only say that we can debate at what point a fetus becomes a baby and at what point a fetus becomes anything after conception. Then we have to ask at what point is conception and if you believe a baby or life begins at conception, then we have nothing to discuss because i do not believe that at conception whenever that is, creates a baby. I believe an egg becomes a fetus then after the first tri-mister, a baby is developed. Even with all this rhetoric i do not believe you or anyone else has the right to tell me what to do with my body-and if you do feel comfortable telling me what to do with my body; what could be bigger Government then that? The fact is and just so you know desperate women have used instruments, back alley doctors, drugs to abort and suicide when it becomes too much. It is my wish that legal, safe and credible places remain available for all women because no one should have to feel so stressed out about a personal choice and no woman chooses abortion because it is fun believe me.

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3/21 An additional comment/question …

When do you believe life begins? Let us start with your measuring stick for life.

FYI: The word fetus (plural fetuses) is from the Latin fetus, meaning offspring, bringing forth, hatching of young. It has Indo-European roots related to sucking or suckling, from the Aryan prefix bheu-, meaning “To come into being”.

I prefer to speak English and just call the developing life form in women, I don’t speak Latin in my daily use of language.

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3/21 And my response

Again, do you believe in less government? If so, my uterus should be outside your control, especially if i pay for the abortion it is my personal business –you really should mind your own business right. It is my opinion that the Hyde amendment is enough for everyone to accept and has been for years. The question for you is why you feel it is your right to dictate to a woman as it relates to woman’s health or contraceptive choices. It is this kind of attitude by folks with that family values platform that most if not all Republicans subscribe to in the House of Representatives that wanted to defund Planned Parenthood. First, it makes no sense to take social services away from those who are in need then say if you become pregnant, you might have to go full-term. In my opinion, life without places like Planned Parenthood,would mean more young women suffering unwanted pregnancies, diseases, and or worse. I do not think you get it, you are using words Latin words instead of emotions, and that is because you have no idea what it takes to decide and or go through. While you may think abortion services are used improperly, the point is women are smart enough to decide on their own; having a choice to make a personal decision that is definitely not the same for all women is the point. I do not think most women have abortions for fun but it is far more than the clinical crap you are spewing. The fact is women girls desperate enough to use coat hangers drugs or fake doctors is a reality-having unwanted births is not the answer and a woman’s body does not belong to you or the government. I think the current laws rules and attitudes are so disgusting …just read your comment you act like the decider the guy/gal who thinks women should be pregnant & barefoot -pure BS- i don’t understand this logic. The clinical and or professorial attitude you seem to have shows just how little you know about the topic and or experience and giving up my personal control to you or my government is definitely a definition of big Government.

Other News …

**US jets crash but the 2crew members are OK

**As bombs fall the criticism of Gaddafi increases

**CBS wants Charle Sheen back

**DWTS premiered on Monday night and my pick is Kristy -been a fan of hers for awhile very impress by wax on wax off guy and whoever that chelsea person … no idea

**FOX has bit off more than they can choose with their criticism of CNN reporter Nic Robertson-given we never never see a Fox reporter on site reporting

**AL is holding a meeting on Libya … http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/world/2011-03/22/c_13792552.htm

**Bahraini foreign minister meets Egyptian leaders, Arab League chief

http://www.monstersandcritics.com/news/middleeast/news/article_1627885.php/Bahraini-foreign-minister-meets-Egyptian-leaders-Arab-League-chief

**Seawater damage worse than first believed

**Former Israeli Prez sentenced to 7yrs in prison

**Yemen leader/gen discusses transition of power

**Stocks waver as investors take a pause

CSPAN …

Coalition Airstrikes In Libya Expand To Tripoli

http://c-span.com/Events/Coalition-Airstrikes-In-Libya-Expand-To-Tripoli/10737420395/

Canada and UK Roll-out Budget Plans

Canadian parliament hears from Finance Minister

http://c-span.com/Events/Canada-and-UK-Roll-out-Budget-Plans/10737420394/

Nuclear Regulators to Enhance U.S. Safety Protocols

Japanese continue stabilizing plants

http://c-span.com/Events/Nuclear-Regulators-to-Enhance-US-Safety-Protocols/10737420398/

As President Obama’s health care overhaul law, the Affordable Care Act, approaches its one year anniversary, the Cato Institute held a conference today examining the current and future impact of the law. http://c-span.com/Events/Scholars-Debate-quotThe-New-Health-Care-Law-What-a-Difference-a-Year-Makesquot/10737420376/

President Obama gave a speech on U.S.-Latin America relations in Chile while traveling through Latin America. He was in Chile for talks with President Sebastian Pinera and an official dinner at La Moneda Palace.

http://c-span.com/Events/Pres-Obama-Remarks-on-Latin-America/10737420392/

Egyptian voters went the polls recently and approved constitutional changes that set the country on a path for parliamentary and presidential elections later in the year. One of the leading political movements in Egypt is the Muslim Brotherhood. The Foundation for Defense of Democracies here in Washington hosted a panel discussion looking at the role of that group in the future of Egypt, and what the rise of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt might mean for international politics. Speakers include a former Middle East specialist with the CIA, and a former Treasury Department counterterrorism analyst.

http://c-span.com/Events/Discussion-on-the-Muslim-Brotherhood/10737420405/

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Breaking News: White House Speakers Join Health Care Webinar

03/21/2011 Nativegrl77

Have you registered for the special webinar to celebrate the one year anniversary of the Affordable Care Act? The webinar is this Thursday, March 24 at 1:00 p.m. Eastern.

www.nwlc.org

To celebrate the one year anniversary of the health care law, we are joining forces with other women’s advocates from across the country to discuss the parts of the new health care law that have already gone into effect and what provisions are yet to come. The webinar will feature women’s health advocates, women sharing their stories on how the law is already improving their lives, and very special guests from President Obama’s Administration —

Melody Barnes, the Director of the Domestic Policy Council and Domestic Policy Advisor to President Obama; and

Jeanne Lambrew, Deputy Assistant to President Obama for Health Policy.

www.nwlc.org

Thank you for your continued commitment to improving the health of women and their families.

Sincerely,

Judy Waxman

Vice President for Health and Reproductive Rights

National Women’s Law Center

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Energy: Crude Profits

03/21/2011 Nativegrl77

The cost of filling up a gas tank has shot up in recent weeks as oil trades at unusually high prices for this time of year. Oil prices have come down slightly since hitting a high of $106.95 a barrel two weeks ago — the highest price for a barrel since the record 2008 oil price hike — but early trading today has already pushed prices back up. The spike in the cost of oil this early in the year poses a serious threat to the fragile economic recovery, with experts saying that prolonged high gas prices could cripple economic growth at a critical time. Some economists are even warning that high oil prices could cost the economy up to 600,000 jobs. “[S]ustained rises in the prices of oil or other commodities would represent a threat [to] both to economic growth and to overall price stability, particularly if they were to cause inflation expectations to become less well anchored,” Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke warned Congress earlier this month. A new CNN poll of experts shows that “economists are most fearful of one major headwind [to recovery]: oil prices.” So what’s causing this spike in prices? One factor is Wall Street speculation. The government has new powers created by the Dodd-Frank Wall Street reform law to deal with this problem, but as part of their war on consumer protection regulation, Republicans have so far prevented this from happening.

WHAT’S BEHIND OIL PRICES: While there are several causes that contribute to rise in oil prices, many experts point to Wall Street speculation: hedge funds, investors, and big banks trying to make money by betting on the price fluctuation of oil and other commodities. Speculation in and of itself isn’t a bad thing — in fact, it’s necessary in moderation with proper regulation to help end users like airlines hedge against price fluctuation — but excessive speculation, especially when it is based on fear about inherently unknown future events, can artificially inflate the price of oil beyond the price that natural supply and demand forces would set. Experts concluded in 2008 that that year’s spike in oil and other commodity prices couldn’t possibly be explained by supply and demand forces, and that speculation must have played a role. “[T]here is substantial evidence that the large amount of speculation in the current market has significantly increased prices,” a House Homeland Security Committee report on oil prices from 2008 concluded. The same appears to be true today. While many blame high oil prices on the crisis in Libya, the country accounts for only 2 percent of the world’s output. More importantly, Saudi Arabia has vowed to make up for any shortfall in global supply by increasing its own production. So supply issues are not likely having a significant impact on prices. And despite conservatives’ scapegoating, President Obama’s policies are clearly not to blame either. Meanwhile, a commissioner of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) — the government agency charged with policing commodity speculation — said earlier this month that speculation on energy futures, including oil, is at an all-time high, jumping 64 percent even since 2008. Speculation was blamed by both Republicans and Democrats three years ago for oil prices, and even with conservatives’ tea party embrace of Wall Street today, several Republican congressmen, and conservative leaders have acknowledged that speculation is a driver of oil prices.

A SOLUTION: Recognizing the problem of oil speculation, Congress gave the government new powers to protect consumers and help ensure market stability with the Dodd-Frank Wall Street reform law passed last year. The law gives the CFTC the ability to limit “excessive speculation” by limiting the bets speculators can make. The law expanded the CFTC’s authority to regulate the entire market for the first time. While futures — bets on the future prices of commodities like oil and wheat — were regulated before the law passed, traders could choose to instead purchase “look-alike” futures that were not subject to regulation. Dodd-Frank changes this by allowing the CFTC to “impose a uniform set of rules across exchanges and the over-the-counter market, replacing a patchwork of inconsistent restrictions for different venues and commodities.” Curbing regulation could help make these markets more stable and transparent, and help bring down the cost of oil.

DEFENDING WALL STREET: But the CFTC has so far failed to take up this responsibility and write the rules that would rein in oil speculators. The agency missed a January deadline to file new rules because of opposition from the commission’s Republican members and one of its Democrats, CFTC commissioner Michael Dunn. The agency’s chairman, Gary Gensler — a Democrat and former Goldman Sachs banker — has taken a lead in advocating strong new rules on speculation, but the Republican commissioners have been foot dragging to defend Wall Street’s profits, making Dunn the swing vote. Dunn has said he does not have enough information to sign off on new rules, despite the fact that the agency has received hundreds of public comments and held at least 75 meetings with experts, stakeholders, and the public on the matter. But Dunn’s term is ending this summer, giving President Obama an opportunity to appoint someone who is willing to follow the law and rein in speculation. But the CFTC faces another threat from Republicans on a different front. H.R.1, the House Republican approved spending plan for the remainder of 2011, includes a nearly one-third cut in the CFTC’s budget. Such a draconian cut would require the CFTC to lay off more than 30 percent of its staff. Moreover, House “Republicans are threatening repercussions for regulators that ignore their concerns.” “We’d have to have significant curtailment of our staff and resources,” CFTC Chairman Gensler said. “We would not be able to police…or ensure transparent markets in futures or swaps.” The Republican effort to take cops off the oil trade beat would allow speculators to continue to drive up prices, ensuring even bigger profits for oil companies.

~ Recent Post

AFSCME

03/21/2011 Nativegrl77 2 Comments

Featured Action

A Day To Stand In Solidarity – April 4 Nationwide Actions

On April 4, 1968, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated in Memphis. He had gone there to stand with AFSCME sanitation workers demanding their dream: The right to bargain collectively for a voice at work and a better life. Join us to make April 4, 2011 a day to stand in solidarity with working people in Wisconsin, Ohio, Indiana and dozens of other states where right-wing corporate politicians are trying to take away the rights Dr. King gave his life for. It’s a day to say, “We are one.” Check out our We Are One video and go to http://www.we-r-1.org for more details.

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Standing Up For Public Service

Public service workers from coast to coast are facing attacks against their jobs, their salaries, their pensions and their basic rights as workers. View our Standing Up For Public Service website to find out how AFSCME members are fighting back.

Wisconsin: photos, videos, and recent news

Ohio: photos, videos, and recent news

Indiana: photos and news

Michigan, Florida, New York and across the nation: photos, videos, events, our blog, and news clips

Greenline, the AFSCME Blog

Iowa House Leadership Afraid to Talk to Citizens

In a show of solidarity with Iowa working families, former Speaker Pat Murphy (D-Dubuque) blasted Iowa’s Republican House Leadership Friday after they shut down the Capitol switchboard.

In Ohio, State of the Worker Address

Workers across Ohio delivered the State of the Worker Address, a rebuttal to Gov. John Kasich’s first State of the State Address.

Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire’s 100-Year Anniversary Reminds Us Why Unions Are Necessary

AFSCME reflects on another historic moment in labor history, the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire in New York City.

Thousands Turn Out For “We Are Indiana” Rally Supporting Unions

Legislation that could roll back private-sector union rights and limit collective bargaining rights for teachers sparked a massive rally at the state Capitol in Indianapolis.

Origins of the So-Called Pension Crisis

Noted economist Dean Baker has written what could be best described as the definitive explanation of the state of public-sector pension plans.

AFSCME Across the Nation

AFSCME Activists Nationwide Support Wisconsin Public Service Workers

OH: Workers Protest Plan to End Collective Bargaining

NY: In this New Video, AFSCME Members Speak Out for a “Better New York for All”

WI: AFSCME Members Lobby Lawmakers to Preserve Rights

AFSCME News

McEntee: Governor Walker Is “Tearing Wisconsin Apart”

Statement of AFSCME President McEntee in response to Gov. Walker’s anti-union rights bill that was rammed through the state senate.

AFSCME Calls on Speaker Boehner to Stop Using Violent Metaphors and Demonizing Public Employees

Citing a recent interview given by House Speaker John Boehner, AFSCME Pres. McEntee called on the Speaker to stop using violent metaphors and demonizing public employees.