The Greeking of America: We're all Illini nowVideo:
1/13/11
Lying To Hoosiers About Worker-Choice
Fascistic union thugs ♥ forced-labor unionismRegular observers of the Hoosier Capitol in Indianapolis report there is a strong possibility state legislators will soon vote on legislation protecting the individual employee's freedom to join or bankroll a union, or refuse to do either, without being fired as a consequence.(from indystar.com)Even before the new legislature convened, Rep. Wes Culver, R-Goshen, introduced House Bill 1028, which would prohibit forcing employees to join or pay dues or fees to a union as a condition of employment, thus making Indiana America's 23rd right-to-work state. Rep. Jerry Torr, R-Carmel, and Sen. Carlin Yoder, R-Middlebury, have also introduced right-to-work legislation.
Not surprisingly, it angers Big Labor that Indiana elected officials may soon seriously consider stripping the state's union officials of their government-granted privilege to force employees, including union members and nonmembers alike, to pay tribute to their union monopoly-bargaining agent just to keep their jobs.
In their anger, union bosses are displaying a near-total disregard for the facts. In one remarkable example, the hierarchy of the Indiana AFL-CIO has posted on its website a screed insisting state right-to-work legislation is not necessary, because "federal law already protects workers who don't want to join a union to get or keep their jobs."In reality, federal law specifically authorizes union contracts forcing workers who don't want to join a union to pay dues or fees that can be as high as full union dues, or be fired from their jobs. Technically, such workers haven't "joined" the union.
Draining Bill Richardson's Swamp
Move over Sarah Palin, make way for Susana MartinezSeveral new Republican governors have assumed office since President Obama's election, with Tea Party hopes that waves would be made. New Jersey's Chris Christie has been hard to top for showmanship, and the Blue State victories of Scott Walker in Wisconsin and Paul LePage in Maine were surprises.(full story at: spectator.org)But perhaps none of the new state executives matched the first-week splash made by New Mexico's Susana Martinez.
Inaugurated on New Year's Day, the former state "Prosecutor of the Year" -- known for focusing on cases involving public corruption and child abuse -- set about cleaning house from outgoing Democrat Bill Richardson's administration. And facing a $450 million deficit, she began to fulfill her campaign promise to cut government spending.
"We have experienced, in the last eight years, huge spending way beyond our means," Martinez told a local Fox affiliate. "I talked about it for 15 months as I was running for office. I was going to get the exempts [political appointees who serve at the pleasure of the governor] to resign or be fired, and then we're going to cut back the number of exempt positions we have to what is necessary. It has nothing to do with politics."Well it may be a little more than "nothing," but in the case of Richardson's roughshod running over business on behalf of environmental extremists in the state, that's all right. In her opening days Martinez took immediate steps to correct her predecessor's policy blunders.
Also, true to her law-and-order reputation, she rejected proposed legislative cuts to the state's corrections system and instead recommended a cut to the New Mexico Environment Department, from $14.2 million to $11.2 million.But the step that perhaps best illustrated her intentions to rein inenvironoiac excess was in her terse firing of the state's Environmental Improvement Board. The unelected panel, filled with Richardson appointees, was riddled with conflicts of interest and pushed a Schwarzeneggerish cap-and-trade agenda for the state. EIB Chairman Gregory Green, for example, served while simultaneously lobbying for environmental organizations that signed a petition under consideration by the board. A similar conflict afflicted the previous chair, Gay Dillingham.
The bluntness with which Martinez canned the EIB members was refreshing, as she telegraphed her seriousness about rolling back environmental overreach by including her chilly letter language in her press release! :Dear (Member):But she more clearly spelled out her reasons for their dismissal in the release as well:
Thank you for your service to the State of New Mexico by serving on the Environmental Improvement Board. This letter is to inform you that I am removing you as a member of the Environmental Improvement Board. Your removal is effective immediately.New Mexico has recently suffered from an anti-business environment exacerbated by policies which discourage economic development and result in businesses setting up shop across state lines. Unfortunately, the majority of EIB members have made it clear that they are more interested in advancing political ideology than implementing common-sense policies that balance economic growth with responsible stewardship in New Mexico.
Big Sis Upstages Memorial
Thank You, Tucson!Video:
“Together We Thrive” and Other Inappropriate Thoughts
When was the last time you went to a memorial service that had its own theme … and t-shirts … and a wildly inappropriate theme at that: “Together We Thrive”.(full story at wireupdate.com)
Michelle Malkin dubbed it a “bizarre pep rally”. I think she had it right.
Labour, Tito, Vilnius, Japan
On this day: January 13The Independent Labour Party of the UK has its first meeting (1893)
Marshal Josip Broz Tito is chosen as President of Yugoslavia (1953)
Soviet Union military troops attack Lithuanian independence supporters in Vilnius (1991)
Japan apologizes for forcing Korean women into sexual slavery during World War II (1992)
b: Salmon P. Chase (1808), Horatio Alger, Jr. (1832); d: Wyatt Earp (1929), Hubert Humphrey (1978)
Community Organizing for the New Progressive Era
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