Happy Equal Pay Day! I know what you’re thinking: it’s hard to feel too happy when we face the facts about the wage gap these days. Did you realize that the average woman loses $10,849 a year due to the wage gap?

But we do have something worth celebrating this Equal Pay Day. The Paycheck Fairness Act is being introduced in both Houses of Congress today!

Ask your Members of Congress to co-sponsor the Paycheck Fairness Act in honor of Equal Pay Day!

In the last session of Congress, we worked hard to get the Paycheck Fairness Act passed in the House and this important bill fell just a few votes short of moving forward in the Senate. We couldn’t have done it without people like you who helped tell Congress that Women Are Not WorthLess. Now we need your help again!

Take action and ask your Member of Congress to co-sponsor the Paycheck Fairness Act now!

On Equal Pay Day, we recognize the day that the average woman’s wages finally catch up to those of her male counterparts in 2010. With the Paycheck Fairness Act, we can start to close that wage gap and Stop Discounting Women and their families. Will you take action today?

Thank you for all your support and, again, happy Equal Pay Day!

Sincerely

Fatima Goss Graves

Vice President for Education and Employment

National Women’s Law Center

P.S. We’ve put together some great new resources in honor of Equal Pay Day. Be sure to check out our new factsheets on pay secrecy, the “factors other than sex” loophole in the Equal Pay Act and how the Paycheck Fairness Act resolves it, an update on the Lilly Ledbetter Act and the wage gap’s implications for women in this economy. And in other fair-pay news, don’t forget to vote in the last round of Wal-Mart Manager Madness!

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2012 … a message from Barack

04/12/2011 Nativegrl77

We filed papers to launch our 2012 campaign. REPOST

We’re doing this now because the politics we believe in does not start with expensive TV ads or extravaganzas, but with you — with people organizing block-by-block, talking to neighbors, co-workers, and friends. And that kind of campaign takes time to build.

So even though I’m focused on the job you elected me to do, and the race may not reach full speed for a year or more, the work of laying the foundation for our campaign must start today.

We’ve always known that lasting change wouldn’t come quickly or easily. It never does. But as my administration and folks across the country fight to protect the progress we’ve made — and make more — we also need to begin mobilizing for 2012, long before the time comes for me to begin campaigning in earnest.

As we take this step, I’d like to share a video that features some folks like you who are helping to lead the way on this journey.

In the coming days, supporters like you will begin forging a new organization that we’ll build together in cities and towns across the country. And I’ll need you to help shape our plan as we create a campaign that’s farther reaching, more focused, and more innovative than anything we’ve built before.

We’ll start by doing something unprecedented: coordinating millions of one-on-one conversations between supporters across every single state, reconnecting old friends, inspiring new ones to join the cause, and readying ourselves for next year’s fight.

This will be my final campaign, at least as a candidate. But the cause of making a lasting difference for our families, our communities, and our country has never been about one person. And it will succeed only if we work together.

There will be much more to come as the race unfolds. Today, simply let us know you’re in to help us begin, and then spread the word:

Thank you,

Barack

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

what’s going on in Congress: the Republican led House – the Senate

04/12/2011 Nativegrl77

April 12, 2011: The Senate will next convene at 10:00 a.m.ET

Following any leader remarks, the Senate will be in a period of morning business until 11am, with senators permitted to speak therein for up to 10 minutes each, with the time equally divided and controlled between the two leaders or their designees, with the Majority controlling the first half and the Republicans controlling the final half.

At 11:00am, the Senate will proceed to Executive Session to consider calendar #45, the nomination of Vincent Briccetti, of New York, to be U.S. District Judge for the Southern District of New York and calendar #46, the nomination of John Kronstadt, of California, to be US District Judge for the Central District of California, with one hour of debate equally divided and controlled between Senators Leahy and Grassley or their designees.

At 12:00pm, the Senate will conduct a roll call vote on confirmation of the Kronstadt nomination.

The Senate will recess from 12:30pm until 2:15pm for the weekly caucus meetings.

At 2:15pm, the Senate will proceed to a period of morning business until 6pm for debate only with Senators permitted to speak for up to 10 minutes each. Also at 2:15pm, Senator Johnson (WI) will be recognized for up to 20 minutes to deliver his maiden speech to the Senate.

Votes:

58: Confirmation of John Kronstadt, of California, to be US District Judge for the Central District of California; Confirmed: 96-0

Unanimous Consent:

Confirmed executive calendar #45, the nomination of Vincent Briccetti, of New York, to be U.S. District Judge for the Southern District of New York.

S.Res.142, congratulating the Lady Aggies of Texas A&M University on winning the 2011 NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Championship

S.Res.143, supporting the goals and ideals of National Safe Digging Month.

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The next meeting is scheduled for 12:00 p.m. on April 12, 2011.

CURRENT HOUSE FLOOR PROCEEDINGS

LEGISLATIVE DAY OF APRIL 12, 2011

112TH CONGRESS – FIRST SESSION

7:20 P.M. –

SPECIAL ORDER SPEECHES – The House has concluded all anticipated legislative business and has proceeded to Special Order speeches.

7:11 P.M. –

ONE MINUTE SPEECHES – The House proceeded with further one minute speeches.

7:09 P.M. –

On approving the Journal Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: 325 – 79, 2 Present (Roll no. 256).

7:04 P.M. –

UNFINISHED BUSINESS – The Chair announced that the unfinished business was on the question of the Speaker’s approval of the Journal.

S. 307:

to designate the Federal building and United States courthouse located at 217 West King Street, Martinsburg, West Virginia, as the “W. Craig Broadwater Federal Building and United States Courthouse”

7:03 P.M. –

Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 408 – 3, 1 Present (Roll no. 255).

6:56 P.M. –

Considered as unfinished business.

H.R. 1308:

to amend the Ronald Reagan Centennial Commission Act to extend the termination date for the Commission, and for other purposes

6:55 P.M. –

Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 394 – 18 (Roll no. 254).

6:33 P.M. –

Considered as unfinished business.

6:32 P.M. –

UNFINISHED BUSINESS – The Chair announced that the unfinished business was on the question of adoption of motions to suspend the rules which had been debated earlier and on which further proceedings had been postponed.

H. Con. Res. 33:

permitting the use of the rotunda of the Capitol for a ceremony as part of the commemoration of the days of remembrance of victims of the Holocaust

6:31 P.M. –

Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

On agreeing to the resolution Agreed to without objection.

Considered by unanimous consent.

Mr. Lungren, Daniel E. asked unanimous consent to discharge from committee and consider.

H. Res. 197:

electing Members to the Joint Committee on Printing and the Joint Committee of Congress on the Library

Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

On agreeing to the resolution Agreed to without objection.

6:30 P.M. –

Mr. Lungren, Daniel E. asked unanimous consent to discharge from committee and consider.

Considered by unanimous consent.

S.J. Res. 8:

providing for the appointment of Stephen M. Case as a citizen regent of the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution

Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

On passage Passed without objection.

6:29 P.M. –

Mr. Lungren, Daniel E. asked unanimous consent to discharge from committee and consider.

Considered by unanimous consent.

The House convened, returning from a recess continuing the legislative day of April 12.

5:25 P.M. –

The Speaker announced that the House do now recess. The next meeting is scheduled for 6:30 P.M. today.

S. 307:

5:24 P.M. –

At the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 8, rule XX, the Chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed.

5:13 P.M. –

DEBATE – The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on S. 307.

Considered under suspension of the rules.

Mr. Crawford moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.

H.R. 1308:

to amend the Ronald Reagan Centennial Commission Act to extend the termination date for the Commission, and for other purposes

5:11 P.M. –

5:03 P.M. –

DEBATE – The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 1308.

Considered under suspension of the rules.

Mr. Kelly moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.

5:01 P.M. –

The Speaker announced that votes on suspensions, if ordered, will be postponed until 6:30 p.m. today.

The House convened, returning from a recess continuing the legislative day of April 12.

2:10 P.M. –

The Speaker announced that the House do now recess. The next meeting is scheduled for approximately 5:00 p.m. today.

2:04 P.M. –

ONE MINUTE SPEECHES – The House proceeded with one minute speeches.

2:03 P.M. –

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE – The Chair designated Mr. Womack to lead the Members in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.

2:02 P.M. –

POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS ON APPROVAL OF THE JOURNAL – The Chair announced that he had examined the Journal of the last day’s proceedings and had approved it. Mr. Womack demanded that the question be put on agreeing to the Speaker’s approval of the Journal and by voice vote, the Chair announced that the ayes had prevailed. Mr. Womack demanded the yeas and nays and the Chair announced that further proceedings on the question of agreeing to the Speaker’s approval of the Journal would be postponed until later in the legislative day.

2:01 P.M. –

Today’s prayer was offered by the House Chaplain, Rev. Daniel Coughlin.

The House convened, returning from a recess continuing the legislative day of April 12.

12:25 P.M. –

The Speaker announced that the House do now recess. The next meeting is scheduled for 2:00 P.M. today.

12:01 P.M. –

MORNING-HOUR DEBATE – The House proceeded with Morning-Hour Debate. At the conclusion of Morning-Hour, the House will recess until 2:00 p.m. for the start of legislative business.

The Speaker designated the Honorable John Fleming to act as Speaker pro tempore for today.

12:00 P.M. –

The House convened, starting a new legislative day.

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Movement to recall Snyder grows WITH VIDEO …in his words

04/11/2011 Nativegrl77

Friday April 1, 2011

By CHARLES CRUMM

Of The Oakland Press

Chris Kopacz hopes his logo will become the symbol of opposition to Gov. Rick Snyder‘s budget proposals.

Chris Kopacz is a self-employed graphics designer and he’s using his dissatisfaction with Gov. Rick Snyder’s budget-balancing plans to distribute a logo he created that he hopes will become the symbol of opposition.

The logo shows an outline of the state on a blue background and the words “Stand Up & Fight.”

The eventual goal, he says, will be a movement to recall Snyder from the office he’s held for just three months.

“I support that and I’m behind that,” says Kopacz, 32, of Waterford Township. “Right now, all we can do is generate interest for it.

“There’s no recall option until the governor has been in office six months,” he said. “On July 1, they can actually start the recall effort in earnest.

“We are definitely going to exercise that option,” Kopacz said.

Since he introduced his budget proposals to the Legislature in mid February, Snyder, the former Gateway CEO and self-described “one tough nerd,” has become a polarizing figure in Michigan politics and government.

The budget proposals include taxing pensions but giving generous tax cuts to businesses while cutting funding to education and placing limits on public worker benefits.

A poll on the website http://www.recallrick.com sums up the sore points of Snyder’s budget proposals.

It asks people to pick the number reason to recall the governor: Cuts to education budgets, attacks on unions, cuts to local governments or the recently signed emergency manager legislation.

Proposed cuts to education is listed at the top by 36 percent followed by the emergency manager bill at 32 percent.

At http://www.theoaklandpress.com, the website of The Oakland Press, a simple question asks if people approve of Snyder’s job so far. More than 90 percent said they don’t with more than 2,200 voting.

Across the social website Facebook, there are numerous pages dedicated to tossing Snyder from office at the first opportunity. The Facebook pages include Recall Governor Rick Snyder, Michigan Rally Information, and Recall Rick.

“If we look at Snyder’s budget proposal, it is fundamentally flawed,” says Kopacz, “$1.9 billion in tax credits while cutting $1.8 by clamping down on teacher salaries and wages, unemployment, pensions.

“The reason I’m concerned about this is because what they seem to be doing is essentially widening the gap between the rich and poor and eliminating the concept of the middle class.”

Snyder on Thursday issued a joint statement with Lt. Gov. Brian Calley, Senate Majority Leader Randy Richardville and House Speaker Jase Bolger highlighting the accomplishments of his administration and the Republican-controlled Legislature in three months.

Listed among them was the controversial legislation signed that extends access to federal unemployment benefits for those who exhaust their state benefits. But the legislation also shortened the time of state benefits from 26 weeks to 20.

“We’re putting Michigan on the path to prosperity through cooperation and relentless positive action,” Snyder said.

Democrats were quick to issue other assessments of the first three months.

The Michigan Democratic Party posted a two-minute video on YouTube slamming Snyder and Republicans for closing state police posts and lowering state unemployment benefit weeks.

“This video tells the real story of the governor’s first three months on the job,” Brewer said. “Snyder and the Republicans have cut unemployment benefits and eliminated jobs. His budget also cuts public education and public safety, unfairly raises taxes on seniors, middle-class families, and low-wage workers – all so he can pay for a record giveaway to big corporations, insurance companies, big banks, and wealthy CEOs. That’s not ‘reinventing’ Michigan. That’s ruining Michigan.”

But for all criticism and talk of a recall, a recent and more scientific poll notes that while Snyder’s negatives are up, his numbers remain more positive than negative.

A poll by Lansing-based Marketing Resource Group off 600 likely voters between March 14 and March 19 notes that 42 percent approve of the job Snyder is doing as governor while 38 percent disapprove.

As for his plan to balance the state budget, 44 percent approve while 41 percent disapprove.

Poll respondents were 26 percent Republican, 26 percent Democrat and 43 percent independent. The poll had a margin of error of plus or minus 4.1 percent.

But as MRG President Tom Shields notes, “The honeymoon is over for Gov. Snyder.”

Shields notes that Snyder has better number than Republican Gov. John Engler did after his first three months in office in 1991.

“Gov. Engler’s plans to cut government spending were met with the same kind of resistance as Gov. Snyder’s plans are currently drawing,” says Shields.

Kopacz hopes his logo becomes the symbol of resistance. It’s posted on the website as a free download at http://www.standupmi.com.

Contact Charles Crumm at 248-745-4649 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 248-745-4649 end_of_the_skype_highlighting, charlie.crumm@oakpress.com or follow him on Twitter @crummc and on Facebook. More information is at oaklandmichiganpolitics.blogspot.com.

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

We need a budget that works for all of us …

04/11/2011 Nativegrl77

You may have seen in the news recently how GE¹—like many other multinational corporations—is getting away with paying zero taxes, even though it raked in $26 billion in record profits.

Unbelievable, right? Well it’s only going to get worse—if we don’t stop it.

http://afl.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=yHzrr33xgU1Ywr6ssSyVENJtMUMH5SJ%2B&url=http%3A%2F%2Faction.afscme.org%2Fc%2F51%2Fp%2Fdia%2Faction%2Fpublic%2F%3Faction_KEY%3D1882%26amp%3Btag%3DAdvE_201104_BackToFuture_blast-32792%26amp%3Btrack%3DAdvE_201104_BackToFuture_blast-32792%26amp%3Butm_source%3Dblast-32792%26amp%3Butm_medium%3Demail%26amp%3Butm_campaign%3D BackToFuture

This week, House leadership released a budget that is an extreme version of old policies to hand more tax breaks to millionaires and corporations—while putting all the sacrifice on the backs of working people. This back to the future budget would radically undermine the economic security of America’s middle class.

According to the Economic Policy Institute, “House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan’s fiscal year 2012 budget resolution would undermine the modern social safety net, reversing the gains America has made in health and economic opportunity. This resolution would deny millions of middle-and low-income households access to the American Dream.”

Please click here to tell your representative NO to going back to the future. It’s time to move forward with a budget that works for everyone.

Many vital public services and programs are targeted for near destruction by Ryan:

The budget would end the guaranteed benefits of Medicare that seniors and the disabled depend on. Medicare would be replaced with a voucher that would be paid to insurance companies. The plan is designed to shift more costs onto seniors while giving insurance companies more control.

The budget would slash support for seniors and the disabled in nursing homes by cutting Medicaid by nearly $800 billion over ten years.

This budget even lays out a plan for making future cuts to Social Security.

These leaders in Congress are so committed to protecting tax breaks for their corporate donors, that they are about to shut down the federal government rather than compromise. Instead, they are demanding a budget that would destroy public services, jobs, K-12 schools, public safety and more.

Enough. Please take a moment to send a message to your member of Congress now. Click here. http://afl.salsalabs.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=zFp8q5VhdL9DKRZe1iPYHtJtMUMH5SJ%2B&url=http%3A%2F%2Faction.afscme.org%2Fc%2F51%2Fp%2Fdia%2Faction%2Fpublic%2F%3Faction_KEY%3D1882%26amp%3Btag%3DAdvE_201104_BackToFuture_blast-32792%26amp%3Btrack%3DAdvE_201104_BackToFuture_blast-32792%26amp%3Butm_source%3Dblast-32792%26amp%3Butm_medium%3Demail%26amp%3Butm_campaign%3D BackToFuture

Thanks for all you do,

Chuck Loveless

Legislative Director

AFSCME