Keep It Made In America

Keep it Made in America

Dear Don,

The Whirlpool Corp. is closing a refrigerator manufacturing plant in Evansville, Ind., putting more than 1,100 people out of work. Even worse, Whirlpool will continue to produce these refrigerators, but not in Evansville and not anywhere else in America. They are planning to manufacture them in Mexico, where weaker labor and environmental laws make them "cheaper" for Whirlpool to produce.This is outrageous and unacceptable, especially in light of Whirlpool's profitability and the $19 million dollars in economic recovery money Whirlpool recently received from the federal government as a part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Those are OUR economic recovery funds, not Mexico's.To protest Whirlpool's decisions and demand good jobs in America, I'm heading to Evansville next Friday to rally and march with local workers and labor leaders--and I'd like you to join me. No, I'm not asking you to join me in person, but I Would like you to sign a petition in solidarity with the Evansville workers for me to deliver to Whirlpool's management.Click here to sign our petition to Whirlpool: Keep It Made in America: Save Our Jobs:http://www.unionvoice.org/campaign/evansville/wxews8b447dmjbi6?Too many people have lost their jobs. Too many jobs have been sent overseas. Enough is enough. Whirlpool's management can't take our money, shut down our factories and lay off our workers.It's not acceptable--and together we're going to deliver a loud and clear message to Whirlpool: Keep It Made in America and Save Our Jobs. Sign our petition today:http://www.unionvoice.org/campaign/evansville/wxews8b447dmjbi6 ?Tell your friends to sign the petition in solidarity :http://www.unionvoice.org/campaign/evansville/forward/wxews8b447dmjbi6?Together we will fight against corporate greed and for good jobs. Together we will rebuild the American economy, because everyone deserves a good job NOW!

In solidarity,

Richard L. Trumka AFL-CIO President

P.S. Please sign the petition today:

http://www.unionvoice.org/campaign/evansville/wxews8b447dmjbi6?. Our power is in our numbers. Together we can make a difference.--------------------------------------------------

Senate Filibuster ~ What is It ?

What is a Senate Filibuster ?

A filibuster is a tactic used by the Senate's minority to delay or defeat a bill or amendment. Under Senate rules, a final up-or-down vote on a bill cannot be taken until Senators agree to end debate on it. A filibuster takes advantage of this rule to prolong debate indefinitely. The vote to end debate is known as cloture, from the French word for "ending." Although most votes in the Senate are decided by a simple majority of 51 votes, it takes three-fifths of the "duly chosen and sworn" senators to pass cloture. In practice, that usually means 60 out of 100 senators, regardless of whether they are present for the vote. The only time it would take fewer than 60 votes is if a Senate seat were vacant due to death or a disputed election, for example. In today's political climate, the threat of a filibuster usually causes the Senate majority leader to count cloture votes. If there are not 60 votes, a bill will probably not make it to the floor since that would clog up the calendar, hurting the chances of other legislation.

Editorial : And we wonder why nothing gets done in Washington D.C. ? Politics as usual !

Health Care ~ For America, NOW !

Write a Letter to your Local Newspaper

An alarming new study shows that health care costs increased last year at the fastest rate in more than a half century. Health care spending rose to an estimated $2.5 trillion in 2009, or $8,047 per person -- and is now projected to nearly double by 2019. If we don't act, this growing burden will mean more lost jobs, more families pushed into bankruptcy, and more crushing debt for our nation.The conclusion is clear: This isn't a problem we can kick down the road for another decade -- or even another year. We need to pass health reform now.We're incredibly close. But too many in Washington are now saying that we should delay or give up on reform entirely. So we need to make it crystal clear that Americans understand the stakes for our economy and our lives, and that we want action.Can you write a letter to the editor of your local paper right now?In just five minutes of your time, you can tell thousands of readers about this new report on spiraling costs, and why abandoning reform is just not an option.You can also help by posting this note on Facebook, letting your friends know about the new costs study and asking them to join you in writing a letter to a local paper. President Obama and many allies in Congress are working hard to finish the job -- but we can't rest until it's done. Your note will help break through the Washington spin and show members of Congress and the media what local voters really believe. Click here to get started:http://my.barackobama.com/FinishTheJobIt's clear that we're in the fight of our lives to pass real reform. But after a century of trying, the finish line is finally in sight. As President Obama reminded us all in his State of the Union address, we're fighting for our families and our country -- and we don't quit.Thanks for making it possible.

Republicans Scare Me ! They Want to Privatize Social Security ! God Save Us !

Republicans Scare me to Death !



Solve Deficit by Privatizing Medicare and Social Security ? Texas Republican Rep. Jeb Hensarling suggested in an interview Monday that the only way to curb the budget deficit is by cutting entitlement programs such as Social Security and Medicare. He said, "I'm willing to say that part of the social contract will need to be re-engineered." It was a flashback to the Bush-era where schemes to privatize Social Security and cut benefits were widely rejected by seniors and other Americans. Click here to watch the interview on the subject: http://bit.ly/b0j3iY.

Editorial : Same Old crap, cut us and give it to Wall-Street ! The one thing you can say positive about the Republicans is, they are consistent ! Take from the poor and give to the Rich ! Hey Folks, I don`t make this stuff up ! Ole Jeb Scare you ? Does ME !

President Obama Includes Stimulus Payment for Social Security Recipients...Hey Thats Me !

One Time Payment for Social Security Recipients...?

The President's Budget Includes $250 Stimulus Payment for Social Security Recipients. President Obama's Fiscal Year 2011 budget proposes a $250 payment to Social Security recipients. The relief would come at a time when Social Security beneficiaries will not be receiving a normal cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) because of a formula that forbids adjustments during times of negative inflation. "Without a COLA, far too many of America's seniors will find it even more difficult to purchase basic necessities, heat their homes and pay for their medications. "The President's budget proposal will provide Social Security beneficiaries with the equivalent of a 2% increase in benefits and will help greatly to bolster their financial security."As expected, the budget also calls for a Bipartisan Fiscal Commission that will address the growth of entitlement spending, including Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. A plan to freeze non-security discretionary spending for three years to address the budget deficit would not affect those programs. "We must watch this fiscal commission development carefully, so that the budget is not balanced on the backs of seniors," Other items in the budget are aimed at supporting seniors. These include $3.3 billion for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP); funds to reduce Social Security backlogs; and money to help families care for aging relatives at home. Retirement security initiatives include establishing automatic workplace IRAs, with employees being able to "opt-out" if they choose; doubling the credit for small employers starting a retirement plan; and providing a 50-percent match on the retirement savings of families that earn less than $85,000.

The War on Drugs ~ Lost a Long time Ago !

The War on Drugs , We`re Fighting the Right War, The Wrong Way...

By: Anonymous. I could have written this, but I did`nt !

Don Jones = Underdog

As it is, there is very little real treatment available in this country. The little treatment for addiction that insurance companies will authorize is pitiful. Those who get treatment are usually users who have committed a criminal offense...society has criminalized it's concept of addiction, and this is a sad fact. I believe we could wipe out the "drug problem" with one easy weapon...Treatment. If we treated addicts and alcoholics the way we treat cancer we would be way ahead of the game. One part of me wants to defend users of medical marijuana, but I've treated far too many "pot heads" who used this as a scam to be high most of the time. We need a total revamping of how we look at alcohol and drugs. We need to treat people with a disease. And....in some cases even the medical use of any substance would be counter indicative of a transplant. Would you transplant someone who was addicted to opioid pain killers ? On top of all of this is the fact we know insurance companies will look for any reason to not provide treatment, especially if it is an expensive one. No easy answers, lots of problems and it isn't going away any time soon. In my opinion, we lost the "War on Drugs" a long time ago...we should raise the white flag and start treating people who need treatment.

Editorial : I have been saying this for a very longtime now ! Alas, No one seems to listen ! We will never win a war on drugs, using the tactics we are at present.

Response from : Martin TN. Chief of Police

Criminalizing addiction and decriminalizing illicit drugs aren’t mutually inclusive in my opinion. I have sympathy for those who addicted to drugs commit criminal offenses to support their addiction. Like so many other arguments in our country today, facts are twisted to fit a political stance. More times than not, the criminals we deal with are criminals first and drug addicts second and that my friend is a fact based on twenty years of work in the field and hundreds of interviews and thousands of excuses. There are however, occasionally, drug addicted persons who, minus the impetus of drugs in their lives, could and probably would be productive citizens. My problem with your hypothesis is that it fails to separate the chaff from the wheat. I obviously feel very strongly about harsh penalties for drug offenses but make no mistake, my focus as is that of most of my piers is not that of punishment for the addict but rather punishment for those who prey on addiction by profiting from it. That is the drug dealer. The person who makes money on the addict. This is not a war we can concede whether we are winning or not! That also includes doctors who freely dispense prescription drugs with little or no evaluation as to need or purpose. Again, a drug dealer. Just one with letters behind his or her name.

David Moore, Chief of Police
Martin Tennessee Police Department
101 University St./ P.O. Box 9
Martin, Tennessee 38237
ph. (731) 587-5355 x236
fax (731) 587-5183
dbmoore@martindps.org