Middle Class Pays for Everything ! Almost !

House Republicans Vote to Cut Social Security Administration Dramatically

http://bit.ly/eu7iSq.

At 4:40 A.M. last Saturday, the House voted 235-189 in favor of a spending bill (H.R. 1) for the remainder of this fiscal year that would cut the funding of the Social Security Administration (SSA) by a total of $1.7 billion below what is needed to maintain promised service levels and current projects. This would shut down Social Security offices for one month of the seven remaining this year; eliminate 3,500 jobs; delay payment of earned benefits for hundreds of thousands of retirees, survivors, and disabled workers; and force SSA to ignore billions of dollars in overpayments that could be returned to the trust fund. The action came despite a veto threat from President Obama. A tally of how each House member voted on the spending bill is available at http://bit.ly/eu7iSq. Earlier, last Friday, the House had voted 239-187 in favor of an amendment offered by Rep. Denny Rehberg (R-MT) to block Congressional funding for implementation of the health care reform law. A tally of that vote is now available at http://bit.ly/ibYH8s.

Editorial : Why is it that"Cut the Budget" Always mean`s...the middle class ?

Democracy Under Attack ! You Bet`cha !

The War in Wisconsin !

by : Don Jones = Underdog

2/25/11

I`ve been following the war raging in Wisconsin. Most think of it as, big unions, hungry for more power. Not So ! It is actually a war save our way of life ! If this Governor Scott Walker, is a TEA party example ? I want no part of them. They are not only trying to deprive workers in Wisconsin their liberty's/rights. It kinda looks like it is a national attack by Republicans. Even here in Tennessee. Those states that went Republican last go round, are attacking free-democratic trade unions. They say, no collective bargaining. All the while it is camouflaged in balance the budget. Do not be fooled by this blatant attack on the working middle class ! Governor Scott Walker has been bought and paid, by the Billionaire brothers Koch. Governor Walker does not want to balance the budget, he wants to crush the union ! The Union in Wisconsin has already agreed to cuts. Gov. Walker wants blood ! What is Collective bargaining ? Definition = "Come let us sit down and reason together"! It has never been, do it my way or hit the highway ! The people of Wisconsin will help you Governor, if you want them too ? Gov. Walker is the point man in this war on the middle class. My guess is, he is a one term Governor ? I hope so. Americans do not like dictators ! Perhaps the people of Wisconsin, need to think about a recall of this tyrannical Governor ? I often wonder, how some of these so called elected representatives get elected in the first place ? President Obama said in a campaign speech, that he would walk the picket line with workers who were being declared war on. Mr. President, where are YOU ?Last night on the television news, I saw Jimmy Hoffa and the Teamsters are now getting into this war. All I can say is, it is about time. If we lose this war, we lose America ! I`m so tired of hearing that, "We do not need unions any longer". This event alone is proof enough that we do. If we lose now, who is next ? How about the American Association of Retired People (AARP) They stand up for the middle class. Ok, then we`ll go after Credit Unions. They are aimed at the benefits of the middle class. Alliance for Retired Americans, it goes on and on. We can have Unions, but they will be state unions. Think not ? Better think again. Unions were created out of necessity. Unions are the purest form of Democracy. Outlaw Unions, is to outlaw democracy in action. Have Unions made mistakes ? You bet`cha ! Has our Country/Democracy made mistakes ? You bet`cha ! I do not want to see either one of them lost. Both are the core of our American way of Life ! TEA party Republicans are dangerous. Be careful of those who come in sheep's clothing. Those State Senators in Wisconsin, who are hiding out, "God Bless You"! Standing up for Unions is to Stand up for America ! After all, We are a Union !

Coffee Shop Chatter !

Coffee Shop Philosophers

by : Don Jones =Underdog = Philosopher ?

2/19/11

I visited my local coffee shop this morning, Damrons Meat and BBQ. My usual rounds. They have the best sausage and biscuits in Tennessee ! The usual`s were all there. Politics and Goodyear seem to be the hottest subject lately. A lot of people will be affected by Goodyear's Union City Closing ! Including Damron`s. Everyone wants to blame someone for the plant closing and that someone seems to be "The Union" ! Not So ! Now Ricky and Pat are truly nice people, they just are not well informed as to the workings of free democratic trade unions. Ricky is retired from the military and Viet-Nam Veteran. I believe he is truly one of America`s hero`s ! Not only did he fly choppers in Viet-Nam and was subjected to agent orange and of course lead. He as well as others did their best to protect American interest`s and our freedoms. "Thank You" Ricky. Having said those facts, Ricky and Pat are Republicans. It seems it is what he and Pat believe. So be it ! It is the ideals, he fought for and defended. I have no problem with his political belief`s. I may not agree with him, but I have no problem with them. It is his God given right. Now Bob on the other hand blames the Union, and does`nt have a clue ! However he too, has the right, as an American to believe as he see`s fit ! Bob, so do I ! We do not agree on unions and probably never will. We can remain friends. Now Huey on the other hand, believes as I do, that free-democratic trade unions have in the past, the present and will in the future serve our United States of America well ! Men like John L. Lewis, Walter Reuther, Jimmy Hoffa, are pioneers in the free labor movement and are true American hero's. If you do not know who these men are ? I would suggest that you google them and find out. One of today`s Labor hero`s is, Richard Trumka, President of the AFL-CIO. Google him also ! If you do not wish to join a union? do not join. In Tennessee we have a "Right to work Law" I call it a right to work for less. Simply stated, in Tennessee you do not have to join a union. I don`t agree with that law, however being a law abiding citizen, I honor it for others ! Just some thoughts from a coffee shop philosopher. I`m sure you do not agree with some of my philosophy, but will honor my right to it ? As I will your`s !

In Deo Fiducia Nostra

Unions Under Attack ! Tennessee Republicans Declare War !

Is There No End Too it ? Unions are Not The Enemy !

Tennessee Republicans take first swipe at teachers union
Vote to end bargaining rights comes day before Haslam plan
Feb. 17, 2011
Written by Chas Sisk

e-mail > bill.haslam@tn.gov <

Gov. Haslam will present his education reform package today. Related Links
Haslam seeks tougher teacher tenure, more TN charter schools
Haslam proposes no cap on charters, teachers to wait longer for tenure !

Thousands protest Wisconsin governor's anti-union bill

Republican lawmakers have pushed ahead of Gov. Bill Haslam in the race to shape the state's agenda on education and provoked a confrontation with Tennessee's biggest teachers union.

The state Senate took the first step Wednesday toward rewriting Tennessee's education laws this year, when a committee voted to reverse a 1978 law that gave teachers the right to bargain collectively through a union. The bill is one of several proposals being promoted in the legislature that would reduce the power of the 52,000-member Tennessee Education Association. They are being pursued without the backing of Haslam, who has been working for the past several weeks on education reforms of his own. "We're here to do the people's business," said Sen. Jack Johnson, R-Franklin, the bill's sponsor. "We don't need to wait until April to start moving bills." The Senate Education Committee voted on party lines 6-3 Wednesday to advance (Senate Bill 113), a measure brought by Johnson that would end the requirement that local school districts negotiate contracts with collective bargaining units organized by teachers. The Tennessee School Boards Association backs the legislation, and the TEA, which represents teachers in all 92 of the Tennessee school districts that have created collective bargaining units, opposes it. Supporters say the bill would end litigation over teacher contracts, make it easier to fire bad teachers and give teachers who are not members of the union more say in discussions over pay, classroom conditions and education reform. Opponents say the bill would strip teachers of their ability to negotiate with school boards, and it is little more than payback by Republicans for the TEA's past support of Democratic candidates. "I think it's unfortunate that that went right down party lines," said Jerry Winters, TEA's director of government relations. "We don't consider this an education bill. They need to be talking about the real issues facing teachers in this state, and if they want to say they've taken away teachers' voice and take credit for that, they can take credit." Scores of TEA members and retired teachers — as well as several conservative activists who support the measure — packed the committee meeting room and corridor outside to witness the vote. "It feels like every time I turn around they're taking another shot at us," said Christy Daniels, a ninth-grade English teacher in Coffee County who attended the committee meeting. The vote took place a day before Haslam presents his slate of education reforms, a package of legislation that he has been touting since taking office a month ago. Haslam says his reforms will focus on toughening tenure requirements and loosening restrictions on charter schools.
Haslam and Republican leaders in the legislature have said the two efforts are not at odds, but GOP lawmakers also have shown an eagerness to take on education bills beyond those that Haslam would propose. "We certainly want to work with the governor," said Hendersonville Rep. Debra Maggart, the House Republican Caucus chairman and a co-sponsor of the collective bargaining bill. "But there are three branches of government, and as legislators, we are certainly allowed to push for our own agenda." Haslam shows plan :
Haslam will unveil his education reforms at a news conference this morning in the Legislative Plaza office building. The governor has been putting his plan together without a state education commissioner. Haslam says he is conducting a nationwide search for candidates for the job, but one of the presumed front-runners, Knox County Schools Superintendent Jim McIntyre, withdrew from consideration this week. Meanwhile, lawmakers have several bills dealing with education, many of them targeting the TEA. One measure, sponsored by Senate Education Committee Chairman Dolores Gresham, would strip the TEA and the Tennessee Retired Teachers Association of their seats on the Tennessee Consolidated Retirement System, replacing them with teachers chosen by the leaders of the House and Senate. Another, also sponsored by Gresham, would take away the TEA's seat on a financial literacy board. So far, the legislature has taken up only the collective bargaining bill. Johnson said he spoke with the governor before presenting the measure. "I've had a number of conversations with not only the governor, but with my leadership in the Senate," Johnson said. "He indicated he was fine with that. … At some point, we probably do need to sit down and map out how we're going to move forward with this stuff." Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey said lawmakers would take up Haslam's legislation when it is presented Thursday but would not delay the collective bargaining measure to give the governor's package priority. "You have to start with one bill," Ramsey said. "We felt strongly this is the one we wanted to start with." Wednesday's vote sends the measure to the full Senate, which could vote on the matter as soon as next week, Ramsey said. Winters said he was not surprised by the measure's support in the Senate and expressed hope House Republicans will stop the measure. "There are some reasonable Republicans over on the House side that absolutely are not going to want to vote against the teachers of this state and the teachers in their district," he said. "This battle is not over." Winters also said the bill could poison efforts by Haslam to work with the TEA on tenure and charter school rules. "My sense is that this is not the kind of thing the governor would want to be going on in this state right now," he said. "I hope the governor will insert himself into the process before this comes to a floor vote in either the Senate or the House." But Haslam has been noncommittal — neither expressing opposition to the collective bargaining bill nor saying he would make it one of his priorities. "I think that should be part of the discussion," Haslam said last week. "I'm not ruling it out. We'll wait and see."

Contact Chas Sisk at 615-259-8283 or csisk@tennessean.com.
The Associated Press contributed.

Editorial : Not just Teachers Unions are being assaulted, all unions are being declared war on, by the Republican Party ! Wisconsin, Tennessee says "Thank You "! Tennesseans listen up, When free democratic trade unions lose, everyone lose`s ! Unions are not the enemy, Those who oppose them are ! See how your elected represenatives vote Here > http://www.tennesseevotes.org/ <

Goodyear Union City Plant ~ Facts & Figures !

Think You`ll Mi$$ Goodyear Plant in Union City TN. ~ You Bet`Cha ~!

By: Don Jones = Underdog

2/14/11

First of all, listen up ! The Union did not cause Goodyear to make the decision to shutdown ! I make no apology for that statement of fact ! The biggest factor in the corporate decision to close the Union City Tennessee Plant was money, it is/was not the fact that we at Union City made too much money. It is the simple fact that, Goodyear has a plant in China and are at present building another one. You see, American Labor, union or non-union cannot compete with third world Chinese wages ! Our politicians have made it so lucrative for American Industry to pull up and go to other cheap labor country`s, not only does the move not cost them anything, you and I, as in tax-payers subsidize their move. It all began with North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) Then came SAFTA, it comes down to (SHAFTA) Our politicians today call it Free Trade. Not So ! It seems to this writer that our so called political leaders are selling our birth right`s for a few bowls of pottage. How many Tennessee family`s will be affected by the Goodyear Union City Closure ?(Obion County - 934)( Weakley County - 384) (Gibson County - 146)(Dyer County - 72) (Carroll County - 29) (Henry County - 23)(Lake County - 22) Kentucky Family`s (Graves County - 142)(Fulton County - 121)Calloway, and (surrounding County`s - 90) These are real working class/middle class people, such a tragedy. Payroll for GY Union City, $132 million dollars.The 2009 tax`s paid by Goodyear Tire and employee`s $4.5 million direct and indirect. Payroll for related jobs because of Goodyear employee`s $50 million ! Take this revenue out of the picture, not a pleasant thought. Between corporate America and our very own politicians, the middle class is being eliminated. I have more bad news, but will withhold it until tomorrow, too much bad news in one day is sickening, even for this writer.

In Deo Fiducia Nostra

Corker Hit Man for Republican Seizure of Social Security

Good Ole Senator Bob Corker (R)Tennessee Just Wants to Cut the Budget ! Sure He Does ! Better be Careful...Social Security First !

http://www.corker.senate.gov/public

http://www.mccaskill.senate.gov/

U.S. Sen. Bob Corker of Tennessee last week began aggressively promoting a cap on spending by the federal government packed with reason and logic and teetering on shaky political terrain. As a deficit reduction measure, the legislation makes sense. But it doesn't preclude cuts in federal entitlement programs such as Social Security and Medicare. Search our databases. Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., who is co-sponsoring the bill, spelled out the risk in a press conference last week. "I guarantee you, in Missouri, in the not-too-distant future, there will be a 30-second commercial that says I'm trying to take Social Security away from seniors," she said. Of course, the creators of those spots, the prospects for which make the bill a hard sell in Congress, don't have to mention that one of the purposes of the legislation is to save Social Security from collapsing under the weight of unfunded liabilities. As of late last week, the legislation had no House sponsor. It is adamantly opposed by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada, and, in fact, no Democratic senators besides McCaskill immediately jumped on board. "Let's be honest," McCaskill said. "There's a lot of folks around here that wake up every day and they think the most important thing they got to do today is figure out how they get to stay here." What's creating all the risk is legislation that Corker has been promoting for months in dozens of presentations to editorial boards and other groups across Tennessee and beyond. The bill would create a cap on federal spending as a percentage of the gross domestic product, now at 24.7 percent, reducing it gradually over a 10-year period until it reached 20.6 percent, the average over the past 40 years. Reaching that goal would require some $8 trillion in spending reductions, according to the sponsors. The simplicity and directness of Corker's proposal, as well as its practicality, add to its appeal.
No specific cuts are included in the legislation, but neither does it exclude anything from the chopping block. It would simply attempt to enforce a degree of discipline on Congress -- a "straitjacket," Corker said -- by making it necessary to say "no." It would require the approval of two-thirds of the House and the Senate to exceed the cap in an emergency. If Congress failed to make the necessary decisions, the Office of Management and Budget would be empowered to make across-the-board cuts. With additional political muscle behind it, the approach could be groundbreaking. It also illustrates the talent Tennessee's junior senator has for seeking bipartisan solutions to pressing national issues in a Congress that seems almost hopelessly divided. By itself, it doesn't dig the country out of its record $1.5 trillion deficit this year. Passage of the bill would create towering political waves. But it would start a necessary conversation about uncomfortable subjects that has been put off for far too long.

Editorial : Better jump ship Senator McCaskill, Corker will sink you just like the Titanic ! I also like the way he has manipulated, so that the office of management and budget, Bureaucrats make the decisions, have`nt we been down this road before ?...Nice move Corker !

Right to Work Laws ! Actually, Right to Work for Less !

So-Called 'Right to Work' !

This is for my Friend Linda, in Alabama, Alabama and Tennessee have these so-called right to work for less laws already on the books ! Sad, But True ! Wake up and smell the Rose`s !

Legislators in at least 11 states are proposing laws that would prevent employers and employees from deciding to have "union security clause" agreements. These laws would require unions to fully represent workers who choose not to pay their share of the costs. If the union had to file a grievance or even go to court on behalf of a non-paying worker, the other workers would have to pick up the tab. By making unions weaker, these laws lower wages and living standards for all workers in the state. In fact, workers in states with these laws earn an average of $5,538 less a year than workers in other states. And that's just the start. Proponents give these laws the misleading title "right to work." "Right to work" for less is closer to the truth.

Learn More :

'Right to Work' for Less Laws : Q & A > >

> http://www.aflcio.org/issues/states/upload/RTW-Q-A-noncustom.pdf <

The Truth About 'Right to Work' for Less :

> http://www.aflcio.org/issues/states/upload/RTW-fact-sheets_1.pdf <

Governor Haslam ~ Not Too Interested, Would`nt you Say ?

Governor Haslam Very Busy ?

What Happened to Jobs, Jobs, Jobs ?

> http://www.tn.gov/governor/ <

I wrote this to him 1/21/11

Dear Governor Haslam ; 1/21/11

I write you in regard to the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Plant, in Union City Tennessee. There is a very real possibility that this plant will close in the near future. I am a concerned citizen, we do not need to lose any more jobs. There is currently 1,700 hourly employee`s and 300 salary employee`s employed at the plant. I`m not counting the satellite plants servicing the huge tire plant. That is another 400-500 people employed. Every politician, I heard, talked about Jobs, Jobs, Jobs. I say, let us try to hold the ones we already have ? "A Bird in Hand is Worth Two in the Bush"! I am in communications with State Rep`s. Holt 76th. Sanderson 77th. They, like you are new kids on the block, (no disrespect intended) They too, believe it is imperitive to SAVE THIS PLANT ! Governor, This City and State need your help ! I am retired from that plant. I have no secret agenda. I just want it to be there and viable for years to come ! Both Terry Tennyson, Goodyear Plant Mgr. Union City and Ricky Waggoner, President USWA Local-878-L are working hand in hand to save this plant. In fact the cooperation between Union and Management, (because of these two men) may be unparalleled in working towards the same goal. I have also been in communications with Congressman Stephen Fincher, District#8-Tennessee. If I can be of any assistance, do not hesitate to contact me. Won`t you please HELP ? I do not have all the answers, but I have some. And surely between all of us, we can SAVE This Plant ? With warmest regard, I remain

Don V. Jones

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I received this/His e-mail today 2/08/11 from our Governor !

February 8, 2011

Dear Don,

Thank you for writing to me and sharing your concerns. I appreciate hearing from you. After careful review of your letter, I have determined that the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development is the appropriate agency to address this type of inquiry, and therefore have forwarded your letter to their office for consideration. My administration is committed to providing effective and efficient service. If you have any further questions, please feel free to contact my office at 615-253-6913.
Again, thank you for taking the time to write. I hope to hear from you again on other matters of importance to you.

Warmest regards,

Bill Haslam (R) , Governor Tennessee

Editorial : Dear Gov. Haslam"Thanks for Nothing" ! While Rome Burned...Nero Fiddled ! Why not give him a call ? All you will lose is a phone call ! Waste of your time...? You Bet`Cha ! He passed the BUCK ! He Just Does`nt Care !

Badyear at Goodyear ?

http://www.uswlocal878.com/

A Good/Bad Year For Goodyear ?
February 07, 2011

http://www.goodyear.com/

Shares of The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company (NYSE: GT) are moving 1.5% higher on strong volume today, on the back of some takeover chatter.

The Akron-based tire maker has been the subject of takeover rumors before, from Michelin, the French-based tire maker, as well as other auto-parts makers to complement their brands. David Tepper, of Appaloosa Management, has a 4% stake in the company, that was announced last week. Tepper filed a 13D, which is a passive stake, not an activist one. This means that Tepper believes there is value in the name, but is not going to do anything about with management. Tepper sees the values of Goodyear's (GT) financial strength, and perhaps others do as well. The company has roughly a 1.8 current ration, and it's EBITDA to interest coverage is greater than 5, meaning there's plenty of money coming in to pay off the company's debt. Wall Street expects the tire company to report 2011 earnings of approximately $1.38 per share, which would put the company trading at less than 10 times 2011 earnings. According to a research report from KeyBanc, the company has traded as high as 15 times earnings, and as low as 9 times earnings. This suggests there isn't much more room on the downside, and could be significant room on the upside.

If Union City TN. Close`s, Bad year for those who work there, but maybe they are expendable $ ? Top Goodyear Officers get bigger Bonu$ !

Social Security / Cuts are Off The Table !

Harry Reid: Social Security Cuts are “Off the Table” !

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) said this week that cuts to Social Security are “off the table” http://on.wsj.com/hP5w8w. Reid’s comments come as House Republican leaders have been cranking up the rhetoric about raising the retirement age and cutting Social Security. “This is a big indication that Harry Reid and other Democrats in the Senate will protect Social Security. GOP’s Medicare Privatization Efforts Continue: According to the Associated Press, months after they hammered Democrats for cutting Medicare, House Republicans are debating whether to re-launch their quest to privatize it. House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan (R-WI) is testing support for his idea to replace Medicare with a fixed payment to buy a private medical plan from a menu of coverage options. GOP leaders will determine if the so-called voucher plan will be part of the budget Republicans put forward in the spring. Under Ryan's plan, those now 54 and under would get a fixed payment from the government when they become eligible at age 65. They would be able to use the voucher to buy a Medicare-approved private plan. The amount of the voucher would be based on total current Medicare spending and indexed to grow year by year thereafter. An Associated Press-GfK market research company poll last year found 51% opposed a voucher plan for Medicare, while 35% said they supported it. Opposition was strong among seniors and baby boomers. However, those born after 1980 favored the approach by 47% to 41%. “Rep. Ryan can try to dismantle Medicare, but seniors will not let him reach his goal !

Social Security ~ Not Doomed !

Flash ! Social Security’s Not Doomed...!
by Mike Hall, Jan 28, 2011

Here’s some news that gets buried in the normal the-sky-is-falling Social Security coverage.

Although the weak economy is having a short-term impact on Social Security’s finances, Social Security is still projected to run an $868 billion surplus over the next decade, according to a new report from the Congressional Budget Office (CBO). Economic Policy Institute (EPI) economist Monique Morrissey says the latest report shows the surplus is “sufficient to last through the peak baby boomer retirement years.” Nevertheless, gloomy news reports show that when it comes to Social Security, no news is bad news. For example, an Associated Press story on the CBO report claimed that “Social Security will run at a deficit this year and keep on running in the red until its trust funds are drained by about 2037.” Says Morrissey:
The story misrepresents the trust fund’s solvency by excluding interest earnings, a major source of revenue for Social Security. The article also fails to mention that even if nothing is done to shore up the system’s finances, current tax receipts will be sufficient to cover most benefits in 2037, which will still be higher in inflation-adjusted terms than benefits are today. Social Security is not in crisis. For more on Social Security’s long-term finances, check out Morrissey’s new EPI paper, which shows the biggest cause of Social Security’s projected long-term shortfall is not rising life expectancy or the baby boomer retirement, but rather stagnant wages and growing inequality. She writes that rising life expectancy represents “only a small part of the fiscal challenge facing Social Security.” The bigger problems are weak wage growth and rising earnings inequality, which account for more than half the projected shortfall that has emerged since the system was last restored to long-term balance in 1983. Earnings inequality has eroded Social Security’s taxable earnings because earnings above a cap are exempt from Social Security taxes. Likewise, slower wage growth increases the costs as a share of taxable earnings. Rising health care costs, which create a growing wedge between compensation and taxable wages, a falling birth rate and higher disability take-up are also contributing to the projected shortfall.

Editorial : Republicans call it, An Entitlement program, and it is, you are entitled because it is your money ! Hey Republicans, do not touch Social Security !

Union vs. Non-Union = Private Slave Employment

Good News ~ Secretary of Labor, Hilda Solis Gets it !

Politics really does matter. We can never let up!

Statement by Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis on Bureau of Labor Statistics report on union members in 2010

WASHINGTON –Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis issued the following statement regarding the Bureau of Labor Statistics' annual "Union Members – 2010" report released today: "Today, the Bureau of Labor Statistics announced that, in 2010, the unionization rate of employed wage and salary workers was 11.9 percent, down from 12.3 percent in 2009. Among private sector employees, the rate dropped to 6.9 percent from 7.2 percent in 2009. "The data also show the median usual weekly earnings of full-time wage and salary union members were $917 per week, compared to $717 for workers not represented by unions. For Latinos, the wage disparity is even greater with union members earning an average of $771 compared to $512 for workers not represented by unions, a difference of 33.6 percent. "When coupled with existing data showing that union members have access to better health care, retirement and leave benefits, today's numbers make it clear that union jobs are not only good jobs, they are central to restoring our middle class. "As workers across the country continue to face lower wages and difficulty finding work due to the recent recession, these numbers demonstrate the pressing need to provide workers with a voice in the workplace and protect their right to organize and bargain collectively."

Editorial : It is most difficult to organize workers into labor unions, when all of our manufacturing base is moving to non-union environments and tax-payers subsidize their move ! Wake Up America !

Saving Union City Goodyear Plant...Cong. Stephen Fincher, In Union City !

http://fincher.house.gov/office/washington-dc

Congressman Stephen Fincher Will Visit Union City TN !
By : Don Jones ...1/28/11

Our Newly Elected Congressman from the 8th. District-TN~Stephen Fincher Will visit Union City Tennessee ! The Date is below. Cong. Fincher is calling it his, "District#8 Expansion listening Tour". I would suggest, that we all attend and let him listen to our concerns over the Goodyear Tire Plant in Union City Tennessee ! Jobs, Jobs, Jobs ! The Job you save may be your own ! I realize this is short notice, but, I just found out about this.

District#8 Economic Expansion Listening Tour
Start: Tuesday ~ February 1, 2011 12:00 pm
End: Tuesday ~ February 1, 2011 1:00 pm
Location: 1212 Stad Avenue, Union City, Tennessee 38261

Social Security ~ Keep it Off the Table !

Social Security ~ What Part of NO, Don`t Republicans Understand ?

http://safestableandsecure.com/e2

Either House Majority Leader Eric Cantor doesn't understand how Social Security works or he doesn't care.

Just hours after President Obama said that Social Security cuts and privatization are off the table, Cantor said that Social Security had to be cut to balance the budget. But here's the thing: Social Security does not and never has added a single dime to the federal deficit. Let me try to explain this to Mr. Cantor. Social Security is paid for through the payroll tax. Currently, the payroll tax raises way more money than Social Security pays out and things are projected to keep going this way for another couple of decades. The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan? They add to the deficit. Tax breaks for billionaires? They add to the deficit. Subsidies for big oil? They add to the deficit. Bailing out Mr. Cantor's friends on Wall Street when they make a bunch of shady deals, cause a financial crisis and almost ruin the world economy? That adds a lot to the deficit. Simply put, Social Security will run a surplus for decades. The rest of the budget runs a deficit. So, why are we even talking about Social Security? Here's why: Eric Cantor and his right-wing friends want to destroy the program. That's the only reason we're having this conversation. Join me now and let's send Eric Cantor and other members of Congress a message -- Keep Social Security Safe, Stable and Secure. Please sign the petition now. > http://safestableandsecure.com/e2 < Eric Cantor's comments aren't anything new. Right-wing Republicans have been trying to tear down Social Security for generations. It's the holy grail of the right-wing. Now Republicans are playing with fire -- they're threatening to shut down the government. They're holding the debt ceiling hostage. They'll do whatever it takes to put cutting Social Security on the table. But America is a community. We stand up for one another -- including our Seniors. That's why DFA has launched it's biggest campaign ever to push back against the right-wing lies and spin and to push a real solution to keep Social Security safe, stable and secure forever. See, right now people like Mitch McConnell and Sarah Palin don't pay the same percentage of their income into Social Security that most Americans do -- and big surprise -- neither does Eric Cantor. That's because the tax is capped at $106,800, but most Americans don't know it. All we need to do is scrap the cap and make the payroll tax fair and equal for everyone to keep Social Security safe, stable and secure.
When we stand up for our values of Community, Security and Liberty, America wins.

Runaway CEO Pay ! Makes the Boss Mean !

Too Much Money Can Make the Boss Mean
by James Parks, Jan 25, 2011

http://www.aflcio.org/corporatewatch/paywatch/

Here’s another reason to do away with runaway CEO pay. A study shows bloated CEO pay can make the boss mean.

The study examined the corporate behavior of 261 companies and found a close correlation between pay inequality and poor treatment of workers. In companies where CEOs made much more than their average workers, the companies were more likely to underfund pensions or cut corners on health and safety. Often, according to the study, the bosses engaged in a cost-benefit analysis, calculating that a fine would be a cost of doing business, compared with the profits they could make. “You end up basically thinking of those at the bottom as numbers,’’ Sreedhari Desai, a Harvard research fellow who co-authored the study, told The Boston Globe columnist Joanna Weiss. “You feel somehow that they aren’t even worthy of the normal people that you’d meet. They’re disposable.’’ Writing about the study last summer for the Campaign for America’s Future, Sam Pizzigati sums it up this way: The…data and the lab games, in the end, would both generate findings that point to the same conclusion. Wide pay gaps between executives and workers…enhance the sense of power executives feel and cause them to “objectify lower level employees.” Or, to put the matter more plainly, “executives with higher income treat employees more meanly.” Click link below or title of this article !

http://www.aflcio.org/corporatewatch/paywatch/

Editorial : Only Where/When Free-Democratic Unions Exist, will the middle class survive ! Think about it ! Above Left-Jimmy Hoffa Jr. President Teamsters.

Tennessee~Anti-Union, You Bet`cha !

Tennessee Republicans Now Control The Entire State Politically, Not Good News For Average Working Men & Women !

http://wapp.legislature.state.tn.us/apps/sponsorlist/default.aspx?id=H630&ga=107

It started in Alabama and has spread to Tennessee. The Anti-Union Tennessee State Legislature has introduced three bill`s in the House that will try to destroy Unions in the Private Sector and Teachers Union. Remember who you voted for and watch how they vote on this very important issue in Tennessee.

Listed below are anti-union bills that will go before the legislature during the 107th General Assembly:

HB0130 -By Maggart and SB0113 - By Johnson
Teachers, Principals and School Personnel - As introduced, abolishes teachers' unions ability to negotiate terms and conditions of professional service with local boards of education. Amends TCA Section 5-23-107 and Title 49.

HB0160 - By Glen Casada
Campaigns and Campaign Finance - As introduced, creates Class C misdemeanor for labor organizations to contribute to candidates. Amends TCA Title 2, Chapter 10.

HB0159 - By Glen Casada
Employees, Employers - As introduced, prohibits public employees from having a payroll deduction to a political action committee or for dues for membership organizations that use funds for political activities. Amends TCA Title 3; Title 7 and Title 8.

I will be watching these bills and will keep you updated. This is just the beginning of what we will be up against, they have until February 17th to file bills. If this sounds kinda one sided...IT IS ! Talk about denying rights ? Wow ! Republicans just want to help you, When Pigs Fly ! Anti-Union = Anti-People ! To read these bills as introduced Click on title or link above or here >

http://wapp.legislature.state.tn.us/apps/sponsorlist/default.aspx?id=H630&ga=107

Social Security ~ It`s Your Money ! Republicans Want It !

Social Security ~ The Best of the Best !

http://pol.moveon.org/obamasocialsecurity/?id=25859-9301352-dRW9cGx&t=3

Yesterday, Republicans passed a bill to repeal health care reform. We know that bill won't become law. But their next target is Social Security—and there, they might just succeed. Washington has been whipped into a frenzy over the deficit, and there are rumors the White House may try to cut a deal with Republicans by offering cuts to Social Security in the State of the Union.
1. just like they did over the Bush tax cuts. Some key Democrats in Congress have also signaled that they're open to cutting Social Security.

2. But cutting Social Security is massively unpopular

3. And if we can spread the word that this threat is more real than ever, we can create an outcry loud enough to stop it in its tracks.

So we're aiming to get 150,000 signatures saying that any cuts to the most successful government program in history have to be completely off the table. We'll deliver the petition to the White House before the speech next week. Will you add your name ?

Click here to sign the petition to President Obama:
http://pol.moveon.org/obamasocialsecurity/?id=25859-9301352-dRW9cGx&t=3
Tea Party hysteria about deficits is pushing Republicans—and many Democrats—to support big cuts to Social Security benefits. Speaker of the House John Boehner wants to cut benefits3 by over 20%4, and he's not alone. Members of the media, and even leading Democrats like Steny Hoyer are trumpeting Social Security cuts—even though Social Security runs a surplus, can't contribute to the deficit, and can be secured for decades without any cuts to benefits.

If the rumors are right, President Obama could be next to embrace cuts, even as soon as the State of the Union address next week. Social Security belongs to us, the people who pay into it, and benefit cuts are deeply unpopular—not to mention devastating for the middle class workers who count on benefits to make ends meet. We can stop benefit cuts in their tracks, but President Obama needs to hear from us. We need a massive outcry in defense of Social Security, to convince the President to take benefit cuts off the table. We're aiming for 150,000 signatures to get things started—can you add your name?

Click below to sign the petition to President Obama: http://pol.moveon.org/obamasocialsecurity/?id=25859-9301352-dRW9cGx&t=3

Thanks for all you do. And Thanks to Mike Stanley for this article ! Remember Social Security is the most successful government program of all time ! If You donate $50.00 to it, so do your employers ! Perhaps Big Business would like this to STOP ! Ya Think ?