Unconstitutional Social Justice ... Anyone, said T.S. Eliot, could carve a goose, were it not for the bones. And anyone could govern as boldly as their whims decreed, were it not for the skeletal structure that keeps civil society civil — the rule of law. The Obama administration is bold. It also is careless regarding constitutional values and is acquiring a tincture of lawlessness. This is not unambiguous lawlessness of the Nixonian sort (burglaries, abuse of the IRS and FBI), but it is uncomfortably close to 1962, when the steel industry raised prices, President John F. Kennedy had a tantrum, and his administration leaked rumors that the IRS would conduct audits of steel executives. It also sent FBI agents on predawn visits to journalists who covered the steel industry, ostensibly to further a legitimate investigation. The Obama administration’s agenda of maximizing dependency involves political favoritism cloaked in the raiment of “economic planning” and “social justice” that somehow produce results superior to what markets produce when freedom allows merit to manifest itself, and incompetence to fail. The administration’s central activity — the political allocation of wealth and opportunity — is not merely susceptible to corruption, it is corruption. (daytondailynews.com)
Beck exposes SEIU-ACORN-Wade Rathke connection ... While we don't yet know what's really going on, we do know these ACORN affiliates have powerful friends, like the SEIU — the Service Employees International Union. Actually, they're even more than friends; they're swapping so much spit they're riddled with mono. The head of ACORN, Wade Rathke, is the founder and chief organizer of SEIU, which donated $33 million to President Obama's campaign last year. We also know that the place the main ACORN affiliate calls home in New Orleans, is supposed to house about 270 related organizations, a mix of corporations and non-profits from California to Louisiana. Does that former funeral home look big enough to you to house 270 organizations? The owner of the building is a company whose partners are — oh my gosh! — Wade and Dale Rathke (name sounds familiar?) As I told you earlier, Wade also happens to be the president of ACORN and he and his brother Dale — who's accused of embezzling $1 million — are listed as president or partner in dozens of companies based in that building in New Orleans. So that's what we know so far. But the big question remains unanswered: Millions of dollars flow into that building every year; where does it go? (foxnews.com)
End ACORN as we know it ... It is time to dissolve the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now and its corrupt agenda ("Zappala charges ACORN workers with violating election laws," May 8 and TribLIVE.com). It's time to stop dumping taxpayers' money into an organization that has drifted from its roots of helping people who are truly in need of support. This has happened not only here but in several other states. When two former employees have voiced concern about the direction of this organization, you know there is something "rotten in the state of Denmark." Karen Inman ran the legal arm of ACORN after two top national officials were ousted for embezzling from ACORN. Ms. Inman was fired after trying to get the feds to investigate the ongoing corruption in ACORN and she was not the only one who fought to bring some sanity back to this organization. Marcel Reid, who was on the board of the Washington, D.C., chapter, was dismissed from her position by the national board but through the intervention of her local chapter still remains an active member, albeit without an office to work from. Both of these women have called on the feds to have the organization open its books to find where and how money was embezzled. It's time for our legislators to cut off funding to an organization that was intended to operate under nonpartisan guidelines. Wasn't it ACORN that provided transportation to members of the Service Employees International Union to protest at the private homes of AIG executives? People of all party affiliations need to get on the phone and let their senators and representatives know they are not happy about this misuse of our tax dollars. (pittsburghlive.com)
SEIU operative impatient for Obama-Dem payback ... Arlen Specter's party switch has renewed the debate over the legislative prospects for "card check," which would effectively eliminate secret ballots in union organizing elections. But Big Labor might not even need card check if Craig Becker has his way. Mr. Becker is one of two recent National Labor Relations Board appointments by President Obama. The five-member NLRB supervises union elections, investigates labor practices and, most important, issues rulings that interpret the National Labor Relations Act. Mr. Becker, who is currently the associate general counsel at Andy Stern's Service Employees International Union, is all for giving unions more power over companies in elections. Only he's not sure he needs to wait for Congress. (online.wsj.com)Related video: SEIU-UHW hostages exhibit Stockholm Syndrome
The overwhelming stench of union-backed, tax-funded fraud ... So there you have it—when news of corruption and embezzlement arose, those in the right were fired by those in the wrong. And perhaps worst of all, the weakest and poorest of our neighbors have been abused, neglected and exploited in the process. Those whom ACORN was designed to serve the most have been victimized the most. That’s quite a one-two punch. I’ve been saying all along that we’ve got to stop thinking of cases like this in terms of “right and left.” Lies, deception, and the clawing for money and power are non-partisan. No matter what side of the aisle you’re on, this is a simple matter of RIGHT and WRONG. We’ve got to stop thinking about it as Politics and start thinking about it as CRIME. We need more people like Marcell, Michael and Karen…those who’ll put their personal principles ahead of their professional goals. (And tragically, by coming forward these men and women have had their safety threatened—I urge you to pray for them as I am.) Look, I live in the real world…I know that life is a full contact sport, especially when there are millions of dollars at stake. But if we don’t keep a firm grasp on our moral center and a keen eye on those who say their acting and spending for the public good, we stand to lose a whole lot more than money. Politics gets people crazy, and sometimes the simple truths can be obscured by a lot of fancy talking. At the end of the day, it’s really quite simple: There are good guys and there are bad guys, but they don’t always wear hats so we know who’s who. But at least this time…when it comes to ACORN…I’m seeing those in the black hats pretty clearly. And after being lucky enough to talk to some of those in the white hats, I hope you see them, too. (foxforum.blogs.foxnews.com)
Socialist President owes GOP big time ... Throughout this most recent presidential election until the present, right-leaning commentators — "conservatives" — have labored inexhaustibly to inspire in Americans an untiring vigilance against the socialistic agenda of their current President. President Obama, we are incessantly reminded, desires the transformation of the United States from the "capitalist" country that it has always been into a "socialist" utopia that never was. That there is no small grain of truth in this account of the situation is a proposition to which no intellectually honest person can reasonably take exception. Nevertheless, the narrative that these right-wing pundits have composed remains a grossly truncated depiction of the political reality. Barack Obama is indeed what we would call a "socialist." Furthermore, as I have argued in the past, his is a self-conscious commitment to a socialist ideology that, nominally at least, Americans have staunchly eschewed. Rightist commentators are equally correct when they note that President Obama seeks to affect a metamorphosis of American society, a desire doubtless informed by, at best, ambivalence and, at worst, contempt for the United States as it has traditionally conceived itself. Still, the idea that America's political timeline can be neatly divided between two eras, those of pre-Obama "capitalism" and post-Obama "socialism," is a function of the average right-winger's self-delusion: Obama's presidency would be inconceivable had the stage not long been set for it. (intellectualconservative.com)
Free markets placed on federal endangered list ... "Many have argued that capitalism does not offer a satisfactory moral message. But that is like saying that calculus does not contain carbohydrates, amino acids, or other essential nutrients. Everything fails by irrelevant standards." -- Thomas Sowell. I hate to be the bearer of reality (formerly known as "bad news") but when the president of the United States proposes a budget so large that $17 billion in cuts would only account for .04% of it, your country is in trouble. This means that the same inept band of former trial lawyers and community organizers in Washington, the ones who couldn't run Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae anywhere but directly in to the ground and oversaw staggering financial losses even in the management of the Congressional dining hall, will now have upwards of $3.4 trillion to "reshape America" with. For one year, $3.4 trillion. Gentlemen, start your slush funds. We find ourselves in a tough spot right now, no doubt. The problems didn't start yesterday and they're not going away tomorrow. The situation and its resolution are complex and complicated, but at the very heart of the answer to the question "How did we get here?" is this: a misplaced distrust and disdain for capitalism. (nolanchart.com)
Defunding the Left ... Two local unions that lost money by investing in funds with connections to Bernard L. Madoff have sued to get back their pension money. The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 43 in Syracuse and the Oswego County Laborers' Local 214 filed suit Friday in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York against investment funds, a fund management company and a financial adviser. Last month, three local unions the Plumbers & Steamfitters Local 73 of Oswego, Plumbers Local 267 of Syracuse and Local 112 of Binghamton also sued Beacon Associates Management for investing $30 million of their pension money with Madoff. Their suit also named local investment advisor J.P. Jeanneret Associates, its founder and CEO John P. Jeanneret and director Paul Perry. (syracuse.com)
AFSCME rules labor-state with iron fist ... In a tense meeting where police were called in, the Association of Municipal Employees' board of directors has overturned its judicial board, which called for a new election and threw out last month's vote giving union president Cheryl Felice a third term. The 41-member board of the union, which represents employees of Suffolk County, voted 26-3 late Tuesday to uphold the election of Felice and her ticket in a heated three and a half-hour meeting. Eight board members who were candidates in the election recused themselves from the vote and three others abstained. "They had to take their last swipe," said Felice Wednesday, referring to foes who opposed her re-election. She also lambasted the judicial board for making a ruling without allowing the members of her ticket to respond to the complaint. "Not one ounce of due process was afforded our team in this case, not one," Felice said. (newsday.com)
Big Labor sets arbitration trap ... Sen. John Ensign, speaking to bloggers on a Wednesday afternoon conference call, said that if Democrats were successful at passing the Employee Free Choice Act, the chances of repealing it should Republicans eventually return to power would be "pretty slim to non-existent." Overturning the legislation would probably require 63 to 64 Republicans in the Senate, Republican control of the House of Representatives, and a Republican President, making the prospect "almost impossible," Ensign said. In the face of erroding support for EFCA, proponents are talking about various compromise measures, including ditching the controversial provision that would deny workers the right to a secret ballot election on unionization, while mantaining the binding arbitration measure. But the arbitration part is just as worrisome, he said. (spectator.org)
Sal Rosselli gets up in Andy Stern's face ... The union that represents most Monterey County workers wants an injunction to stop a rival union from picking up a branch of members, SEIU Local 521 leader Ben Franklin said Tuesday. The group has filed an unfair labor practices complaint against the county, alleging that county officials allowed the splinter group to bend the rules as it petitioned for an election on who should represent county workers. County officials deny the allegation. "From our perspective, we are trying to stay neutral and not assist or hinder any particular group or organization," said County Counsel Charles McKee. County elections officials essentially paved the way for the vote after they certified a petition asking for the vote last week. At the same time, however, officials announced that another group of employees did not garner enough signatures to force a representation vote. One of the largest unions in the county, SEIU 521 represents county health-care workers and other government employees, including librarians, planners and clerical staff. The union is negotiating with county officials over potential cuts, as administrators try to slice $41.6 million from the budget. The splinter group wants to join forces with the National Union of Healthcare Workers and presented county officials with the two petitions from two different groups of employees. The SEIU group in Monterey County also represents workers in Santa Clara and other counties, which some members complained made the union too large and unresponsive to local demands. (thecalifornian.com)
UFCW: Who let the dogs out? ... A laptop stolen on the East Coast may have put members Oregon's largest private-sector union at risk of identity theft. John and Melissa Browning, who work at a local grocery store, have been members of the United Food and Commercial Workers Union 555 for more than 15 years. The UFCW represents about 19,000 workers in Oregon and southwest Washington. Dan Clay, the union's president, said the UFCW's international headquarters sent a letter to members of Local 555 about a union employee's laptop being stolen on the East Coast. The letter said the laptop may contain personal information of Local 555 members, including birth dates and Social Security numbers. "With that information, whoever obtained it could go out and get any type of credit because they have my birth date, my Social Security number, my full name as well as the address I live at," said John Browning. The Brownings said they're angry about how long it took for them to learn about the laptop theft. The letter said the laptop theft occurred in March. A spokeswoman for UFCW International was not sure why it took so long to notify members of the laptop theft. She said the UFCW's information technology department is making sure that members' personal data is held as securely as possible. (kptv.com)
Rep. Rob Andrews placed on Dirty Money Watch ... WHO: Rep. Rob Andrews (D-N.J.), a co-sponsor of Employee Free Choice Act (aka Card Check). WHAT: Rep. Andrews received the following dirty money: Communication Workers of America (PAC) $10,000 in 2008 election cycle; $2,000 in 2006 election cycle. Boilermakers Union (PAC) $5,000 in 2008 election cycle; $2,000 in 2006 election cycle. American Federation of Government Employees (PAC) $2,000 in 2006 election cycle. International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (PAC) $10,000 in 2008 election cycle; $4,500 in 2006 election cycle. Service Employees International Union (PAC) $3,000 in 2008 election cycle. United Steelworkers of America (PAC) $5,000 in 2008 election cycle; $5,000 in 2006 election cycle. WHY IT’S DIRTY: Multiple officers and members of these unions, including division presidents, secretary-treasurers and business managers, have been convicted since 2001 of felonies ranging from embezzlement, falsifying official reports to government, mail fraud and conspiracy. The Communication Workers of America and the American Federation of Government Employees have had eight convictions, The Service Employees International Union has had nine convictions and The Boilermakers have had 10 members convicted, while the IBEW has had 14 members convicted. The United Steelworkers of America, which includes Paper, Allied-Industrial Chemical and Energy Workers International Union (PACE), has had 30 convictions among its membership. The amounts of embezzled funds range from over $5,000 to over $100,000. WILL ANDREWS GIVE IT BACK: Andrews did not respond to The Examiner’s request for comment. THE SCORE: Number of Democrats who have given it back: 0 • Number of Republicans who have given it back: 0 • YOUR TURN: You can reach Rep. Andrews Washington D.C. office at 202-225-6501 (washingtonexaminer.com)SEIU sets labor-state Pay-to-Play ... Members of 32BJ Service Employees International Union today voted unanimously to endorse Mayor Jun Choi for re-election. “For the past four years Jun Choi has proven to be a tireless champion for the working class,” said Kevin Brown, the local’s area director. “32BJ members can rely on him to help improve wage and benefit standards for hard-working families and raise the quality of life through improved education, environmental protection and more economic opportunities for Edison residents.” According to a press release issued by the organization, 32BJ claims nearly 8,000 members in New Jersey and hundreds who live or work in Edison. “On behalf of the Choi campaign, 32BJ will commit to putting its members on the ground to knock on doors, make phone calls and drive turnout on Election Day,” said Brown. (politickernj.com)
Biden, union bigs make beautiful music ... Biden may be known for his gaffes, but he was music to the audience's ears when he appeared before the powerful American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees on Tuesday. The vice president was touting the card-check legislation that is Big Labor's top political priority this year, but which would profoundly violate workers' rights by abolishing the requirement of a federally supervised secret ballot to determine union membership. "You've got to climb up a hill with so many roadblocks on the way to organize that it's just out of whack," Biden complained, calling for measures that would "level the playing field." But it's the union bosses, not the workers, who would win the game. The secret ballot could easily be called the "sacred ballot" in America. Who you vote for to be president or dogcatcher is private. But there are real hazards in ending secrecy in a union vote. Forcing workers to go public in making their decision about belonging to a union via the signing of a card would mean that pro-union fellow employees, whom they must deal with every day, would have endless opportunities to demonstrate their resentment. What's more, the card-check bill would also allow the federal government to force a contract if no agreement were reached between labor and management after 120 days of collective bargaining. One of Biden's applause lines was: "If a union is what you want, then a union is what you should get." (ibdeditorials.com)
Sen. Bill Nelson placed on Dirty Money Watch ... WHO: Sen. Bill Nelson (D-Fla.), a co-sponsor of the Employee Free Choice Act (aka Card Check). WHAT: Sen. Nelson received the following dirty money: Communication Workers of America (PAC) $2,500 in 2006 election cycle. Boilermakers Union (PAC) $2,500 in 2006 election cycle. The American Federation of Government Employees (PAC) $7,000 in 2006 election cycle. International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (PAC) $5,000 in 2008 election cycle; $5,000 in 2006 election cycle. Service Employees International Union (PAC) $1,000 in 2006 election cycle. WHY IT’S DIRTY: Multiple officers and members of these unions, including division presidents, secretary-treasurers and business managers, have been convicted since 2001 of felonies ranging from embezzlement, falsifying official reports to government, mail fraud and conspiracy. The Communication Workers of America and the American Federation of Government Employees have had eight convictions, The Service Employees International Union has had nine convictions and The Boilermakers have had 10 members convicted, while the IBEW has had 14 members convicted. The amounts of embezzled funds range from over $5,000 to over $100,000. WILL NELSON GIVE IT BACK: Nelson did not respond to The Examiner’s request for comment. THE SCORE: Number of Democrats who have given it back: 0 • Number of Republicans who have given it back: 0 • YOUR TURN: You can reach Sen. Nelson’s Washington D.C. office at 202-224-5274 (washingtonexaminer.com)
