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Meanwhile, outside of Wisconsin
Author: Raine
Date: 06/07/2012 13:43:48
California had some very disappointing elections as well Tuesday, specifically, Public Employes. This maybe the sleeper story of the year, as TPM points out: Boldface mine.
Here is the basic mindset that has been setting in around the country: Keep this graphic in mind, from Think Progress:
We are in a race to the bottom indeed. Hell, we can't even get the Senate to vote on a paycheck quality bill. This happened on Tuesday as well. I bring this up to draw attention to how this issue and what is happening in California is so prescient, one top commentator at the ThinkProgress link states: These things matter. They matter a lot. There is a concentrated attack on ALL workers, both public and private sector.
and 
Raine
While Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker cruised to victory in Tuesday’s failed recall — a stinging defeat for public employee unions in itself — two lower-profile municipal referenda in California that could slash public sector pensions passed overwhelmingly as well. The confluence suggests 2012 will be marked by fights at both the local, state, and national level over retirement security for public sector workers.
Voters overwhelmingly approved ballot measures in both conservative San Diego and liberal San Jose that seek to close municipal budget gaps by cutting worker pensions — not just pension plans for future workers.
Here is the basic mindset that has been setting in around the country:
San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders, a chief backer, said he was surprised by the margin of victory and considered it a statement that voters won't tolerate benefits that are more generous than those they receive working at private companies.
"It just shows the frustration people have with pension benefits that are out of control and taking away from city services," he said in an interview Wednesday. (snip)
Opponents say the measures deprive workers of benefits they were counting on when they got hired. Some workers decided against potentially more lucrative jobs with private companies, figuring their retirement was relatively safe.
Henry Bayer, executive director of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Council 31 in Illinois, said the California referendums reflect a "race to the bottom" to erode government benefits by putting them on par with the private sector.
We are in a race to the bottom indeed. Hell, we can't even get the Senate to vote on a paycheck quality bill. This happened on Tuesday as well.
The legislation would have strengthened protections for women who are being paid less because of their gender by creating larger penalties for employers who discriminate, creating more transparency of salaries so that women know whether they are being paid less, and protecting those who sue for pay equity. (snip)
Pay discrimination isn’t some fantasy of the left — it actually prevents families from higher earnings. On average, women make 77 cents to a man’s dollar. And that’s happening while more women are becoming the primary breadwinners or dual-earners in their family and a larger number of women with high degrees entering the job market.
This pay inequity will also appear in a women's pension and SS benefits. Because of her 77 cents earned for each man's dollar, her pension will also be reduced by the same percentage and her SS retirement benefits will be lower as well. Not to mention, the women has less funds to sock away in her own personal retirement investments/accounts (if she can at all).
and Raine
Comments:
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Comment by 
wickedpam on 06/07/2012 13:11:13
wickedpam on 06/07/2012 13:11:13
Morning 
Comment by 
Raine on 06/07/2012 13:22:40
Raine on 06/07/2012 13:22:40
Morning! 
I am so pissed that I lost the blog.
I am so pissed that I lost the blog.
Comment by wickedpam on 06/07/2012 13:24:24
wickedpam on 06/07/2012 13:24:24
eesh! I hate it when that happens!
Comment by 
Mondobubba on 06/07/2012 13:40:06
Mondobubba on 06/07/2012 13:40:06
Ugh. Sinuses. Rain. Low pressure. 
Comment by Raine on 06/07/2012 13:45:20
Raine on 06/07/2012 13:45:20
Ok, I cobbled together the basic points that was meant to be today's blog.
Comment by 
Scoopster on 06/07/2012 13:51:29
Scoopster on 06/07/2012 13:51:29
Good morning all! 
Well I finally made it to Prov, after a series of morning mishaps threw me WAY off schedule! Made up for it tho as I just had a brief run-in at the coffee stand with Lizz Winstead!
Well I finally made it to Prov, after a series of morning mishaps threw me WAY off schedule! Made up for it tho as I just had a brief run-in at the coffee stand with Lizz Winstead!
Comment by wickedpam on 06/07/2012 14:10:34
wickedpam on 06/07/2012 14:10:34
Its nice to hear Sargent Shriver stories - found out this morning that my mom actually met him when she worked at Job Corp - she was on the 6th floor he was on the 8th. she said he was just a really nice man
Comment by Raine on 06/07/2012 14:12:06
SWEET!
Raine on 06/07/2012 14:12:06
Quote by Scoopster:
Good morning all!
Well I finally made it to Prov, after a series of morning mishaps threw me WAY off schedule! Made up for it tho as I just had a brief run-in at the coffee stand with Lizz Winstead!
SWEET!
Comment by Raine on 06/07/2012 14:12:42
That is pretty awesome. I have learned much more about him after his death. HE sounds like he was an amazing man.
Raine on 06/07/2012 14:12:42
Quote by wickedpam:
Its nice to hear Sargent Shriver stories - found out this morning that my mom actually met him when she worked at Job Corp - she was on the 6th floor he was on the 8th. she said he was just a really nice man
Comment by Raine on 06/07/2012 14:15:59
Raine on 06/07/2012 14:15:59
something else with regards to today's blog, this is arguably one of the largest private sector employers:
Walmart’s outsourcing of jobs is driving down wages at American factories, according to a report from the National Employment Law Project. Instead of employing its own factory employees, Walmart subcontracts many of the jobs to outside companies that have histories of low wages and labor violations, the report said. “These outsourced workers laboring on Walmart’s behalf toil at the bottom of a complex hierarchy of intermediaries and in alternative employment schemes that leave them vulnerable to significant worker rights abuses and unsure where to seek redress,†said the report, which also noted that workers at multiple Walmart-contracted facilities have sued their employers for violating minimum wage laws and cheating them out of pay.
Comment by wickedpam on 06/07/2012 14:18:51
I don't think I've ever heard a nasty word said about him
wickedpam on 06/07/2012 14:18:51
Quote by Raine:That is pretty awesome. I have learned much more about him after his death. HE sounds like he was an amazing man.Quote by wickedpam:
Its nice to hear Sargent Shriver stories - found out this morning that my mom actually met him when she worked at Job Corp - she was on the 6th floor he was on the 8th. she said he was just a really nice man
I don't think I've ever heard a nasty word said about him
Comment by Mondobubba on 06/07/2012 14:31:49
Mondobubba on 06/07/2012 14:31:49
As I was going to mention before the new blog (which is great, given the circumstances) was put up, did you know Dorothy Parker is buried on the grounds of the NAACP HQ in Bawlmer?
Comment by Raine on 06/07/2012 14:33:34
I was not aware of this!
We'll be in Bawlmer on Sunday to pick Shane up at the Airport. Hopefully we'll have a little bit of time to have lunch in town.
Raine on 06/07/2012 14:33:34
Quote by Mondobubba:
As I was going to mention before the new blog (which is great, given the circumstances) was put up, did you know Dorothy Parker is buried on the grounds of the NAACP HQ in Bawlmer?
We'll be in Bawlmer on Sunday to pick Shane up at the Airport. Hopefully we'll have a little bit of time to have lunch in town.
Comment by Raine on 06/07/2012 14:35:44
Raine on 06/07/2012 14:35:44
HEre is another funny thing I thought about regarding the blog. Cities like San Diego keep claiming they have no money.
Isn't it funny that there was NO money issues for Scott Walker going into the recall?
The biggest lie of all is that municipalities have to money -- they are just going after the wrong people to fund said municipalities.
The money is THERE. They aren't looking in the right places.
Isn't it funny that there was NO money issues for Scott Walker going into the recall?
The biggest lie of all is that municipalities have to money -- they are just going after the wrong people to fund said municipalities.
The money is THERE. They aren't looking in the right places.
Comment by Raine on 06/07/2012 14:43:38
Raine on 06/07/2012 14:43:38
BTW, last night I had the pleasure to watch local news, and got to see this ad:
Did you know that Obama is adding 4 BILLION dollars of debt with his spending every day?
Oh karl rove, you crazy grassroots Crossroads liar, you.
Did you know that Obama is adding 4 BILLION dollars of debt with his spending every day?
Oh karl rove, you crazy grassroots Crossroads liar, you.
Comment by Mondobubba on 06/07/2012 15:05:21
It was the subject of a report on the NPR mosheen this morning. Ms Parker died on this date in 1967
Mondobubba on 06/07/2012 15:05:21
Quote by Raine:I was not aware of this!Quote by Mondobubba:
As I was going to mention before the new blog (which is great, given the circumstances) was put up, did you know Dorothy Parker is buried on the grounds of the NAACP HQ in Bawlmer?
We'll be in Bawlmer on Sunday to pick Shane up at the Airport. Hopefully we'll have a little bit of time to have lunch in town.
It was the subject of a report on the NPR mosheen this morning. Ms Parker died on this date in 1967
Comment by Mondobubba on 06/07/2012 16:21:34
Because I'm a helper, here's a link from Find a Graves
Mondobubba on 06/07/2012 16:21:34
Quote by Raine:I was not aware of this!Quote by Mondobubba:
As I was going to mention before the new blog (which is great, given the circumstances) was put up, did you know Dorothy Parker is buried on the grounds of the NAACP HQ in Bawlmer?
We'll be in Bawlmer on Sunday to pick Shane up at the Airport. Hopefully we'll have a little bit of time to have lunch in town.
Because I'm a helper, here's a link from Find a Graves
Comment by 
Will in Chicago on 06/07/2012 16:42:01
Hello, bloggers!!
Scoopster, I heard on the news that Providence is supposed to have the best hamburgers in the U.S. (I missed who was number 2, but Chicago was number 3.)
Will in Chicago on 06/07/2012 16:42:01
Quote by Scoopster:
Good morning all!
Well I finally made it to Prov, after a series of morning mishaps threw me WAY off schedule! Made up for it tho as I just had a brief run-in at the coffee stand with Lizz Winstead!
Hello, bloggers!!
Scoopster, I heard on the news that Providence is supposed to have the best hamburgers in the U.S. (I missed who was number 2, but Chicago was number 3.)
Comment by Will in Chicago on 06/07/2012 16:47:04
Will in Chicago on 06/07/2012 16:47:04
Raine, thanks for a great blog. I am sorry that the original one was lost.
You may want to check this out from Crooks and Liars, which makes several good points.
We do see a race to the bottom. We have people with a lot of money in this country who see a large and prosperous middle class as a stumbling block to their control over the economy and the nation. Their ideal goes back to the Gilded Age, when the vast majority of Americans were poor laborers and the rich were commonly portrayed in newspaper cartoons as owning Senators. Sorry, too many people have fought, bled and died for us to go back to such an unequal America. We are not going back there if I have anything to say about it.
You may want to check this out from Crooks and Liars, which makes several good points.
Scott Walker's Win Doesn't Mean What You Think It Means
By Kenneth Quinnell
So I've been reading everything I can today in terms of analysis about the election in Wisconsin today and I've yet to find anything that I really agree with. I don't want to rehash much of what you can read elsewhere, but it seems that the only people more off the mark about what Wisconsin "means" than Fox News and their allies are progressives. There are a few notions that I really can't wrap my head around, no matter how many people seem to say them. I'm not suggesting that I am the only one who "knows" what all this means and that everyone else is wrong, I'm saying that what I'm reading and hearing doesn't make sense in the context of questions I still have. Convince me I'm wrong or let's expand the conversation to get more accurate analysis.
This was a big loss for the left: How is something that was entirely expected to happen a big loss? Pretty much all the polling said Scott Walker was going to stay in office, he had a massive money advantage, the Democratic candidate was uninspiring and was fought against in the primary by left-wing groups, voters don't like recalls, recalls almost never work and Walker had already beaten this candidate not even two years ago. So how is this a surprise outcome and how is it "big" in any way? If a professional basketball team plays a college team and beats them, how would that be big for the pro team? The upset would've been big, but the status quo, while painful, isn't big. From the beginning, this was a movement that was something that people were hopeful about, but there was never any real evidence that Walker was going to lose. There was lots of evidence that he should lose, but one of the first things you study in public opinion polling classes is how little voters make their choice based on issues. On the issues, Wisconsin voters aren't that much in line with Walker, but since most voters aren't making their decision based on the issues of the day, that doesn't matter much.
The only victory in Wisconsin was a moral victory: When the broad recall campaign started last year, it had two goals: recall Scott Walker and recall enough state senators to flip control of that chamber to the Democrats. One of these worked and the other didn't. And, at least until next year, it seems as if Walker's agenda will be nearly completely stalled. The ultimate goal of both of these recall efforts seems to be to stop Walker from further harming the state. It looks like -- barring a recount -- that such a goal has been achieved, at least, potentially, until the next election. How is that not a victory?
Unions are big losers in Wisconsin: The only way you could make such an argument is if you lay the entire campaign at the feet of the labor movement and/or you convincingly make the case that the voters chose Walker's anti-union agenda on purpose. I don't think either of those arguments is consistent with the facts. Unions were part of a broad coalition that was fighting against Walker for, what, six months? And how much of that time was spent on winning the election, as opposed to the Democratic Primary or the petition gathering process? Unions, as with other groups, fully focused on defeating Walker for about a month. To claim the labor movement is dead because it couldn't pull off the unprecedented feat of taking out a sitting governor who was elected by the people in a month fails even a basic logic test. And, again, decades of political science research shows that less than 20 percent of the electorate makes its candidate choice based on current policies. Exit polls showed that 10 percent of yesterday's voters who rejected Walker's assault on unions voted for him. 38 percent of union members voted for him. 52 percent of voters who think things have gotten worse under Walker voted for him. If voters were voting based on issues, even issues that directly affect them, in any significant numbers, how could these exit poll results exist?
We do see a race to the bottom. We have people with a lot of money in this country who see a large and prosperous middle class as a stumbling block to their control over the economy and the nation. Their ideal goes back to the Gilded Age, when the vast majority of Americans were poor laborers and the rich were commonly portrayed in newspaper cartoons as owning Senators. Sorry, too many people have fought, bled and died for us to go back to such an unequal America. We are not going back there if I have anything to say about it.
Comment by Scoopster on 06/07/2012 16:47:31
Scoopster on 06/07/2012 16:47:31
I tell ya man this damn itouch isn't bloggie friendly... 
Comment by Scoopster on 06/07/2012 16:56:36
I heard about that too - we have some really great restaurants in this city including a few self-styled burger bars. The funny part is they weren't here a few years ago. We used to have a lot of super fancy and expensive spots before the economy went south run by two local culinary groups - they replaced them with these fancy burger joints because the overhead was lower and they could look blue collar while still charging a lot!
Scoopster on 06/07/2012 16:56:36
Quote by Will in Chicago:
Hello, bloggers!!
Scoopster, I heard on the news that Providence is supposed to have the best hamburgers in the U.S. (I missed who was number 2, but Chicago was number 3.)
I heard about that too - we have some really great restaurants in this city including a few self-styled burger bars. The funny part is they weren't here a few years ago. We used to have a lot of super fancy and expensive spots before the economy went south run by two local culinary groups - they replaced them with these fancy burger joints because the overhead was lower and they could look blue collar while still charging a lot!
Comment by 
clintster on 06/07/2012 17:18:16
This I have noticed, also. Is there a chance that we might be able to create a mobi-friendly version of 4F?
clintster on 06/07/2012 17:18:16
Quote by Scoopster:
I tell ya man this damn itouch isn't bloggie friendly...
This I have noticed, also. Is there a chance that we might be able to create a mobi-friendly version of 4F?
Comment by clintster on 06/07/2012 17:20:17
clintster on 06/07/2012 17:20:17
Just read this post on Fark regarding unions and the right's obsession with busting them, and thought it was pretty spot-on regarding the issue:
So, people are upset that union workers get better pensions than they do - and their answer to that is not to organize and demand better benefits themselves, or pass laws that make sure everyone gets good benefits, but to fark over the unionized city employees so they get the same corporate-controlled, shiatty retirement option as everyone else.
Great. Absolute genius, you farking assholes.
Comment by 
livingonli on 06/07/2012 18:20:45
livingonli on 06/07/2012 18:20:45
The right just keeps on getting dumber and too many people swallow their lies which makes me think we are on the road to Idiocracy. And today's been fun, because of a car accident a mile down the road, we lost power today and even after it came back, power was knocked out another two times but came back. Just hoping it stays so I can stay online because it says to try and get online and see my electronics power down again.
Comment by Raine on 06/07/2012 18:44:34
I think this could be a possibiliy, I'll ask Bobber.
I'll probably not be around much of the afternoon, so play nice!
Raine on 06/07/2012 18:44:34
Quote by clintster:Quote by Scoopster:
I tell ya man this damn itouch isn't bloggie friendly...
This I have noticed, also. Is there a chance that we might be able to create a mobi-friendly version of 4F?
I think this could be a possibiliy, I'll ask Bobber.
I'll probably not be around much of the afternoon, so play nice!
Comment by wickedpam on 06/07/2012 18:51:45
wickedpam on 06/07/2012 18:51:45
Does Billy in Texas call everyone?
Comment by 
BobR on 06/07/2012 18:57:28
I've thought about this. I don't want to spend a lot of time trying to develop an "app", but I've considered an alternative URL to the blog that's formatted to make it easier to use on a phone (and not use ajax code).
BobR on 06/07/2012 18:57:28
Quote by clintster:Quote by Scoopster:
I tell ya man this damn itouch isn't bloggie friendly...
This I have noticed, also. Is there a chance that we might be able to create a mobi-friendly version of 4F?
I've thought about this. I don't want to spend a lot of time trying to develop an "app", but I've considered an alternative URL to the blog that's formatted to make it easier to use on a phone (and not use ajax code).
Comment by Will in Chicago on 06/07/2012 19:19:35
Will in Chicago on 06/07/2012 19:19:35
David Sirota is in for Thom again. I think that I will try Randi. (Sorry, Sirota is not as good as Thom.)
Comment by Mondobubba on 06/07/2012 19:24:55
I second this totally groovy, kinda now, kinda wow idea.
Mondobubba on 06/07/2012 19:24:55
Quote by BobR:Quote by clintster:Quote by Scoopster:
I tell ya man this damn itouch isn't bloggie friendly...
This I have noticed, also. Is there a chance that we might be able to create a mobi-friendly version of 4F?
I've thought about this. I don't want to spend a lot of time trying to develop an "app", but I've considered an alternative URL to the blog that's formatted to make it easier to use on a phone (and not use ajax code).
I second this totally groovy, kinda now, kinda wow idea.
Comment by livingonli on 06/07/2012 19:54:58
livingonli on 06/07/2012 19:54:58
Anyone have a working Randi stream since I can't find one that seems to be working at the moment.
Comment by wickedpam on 06/07/2012 19:58:16
The Mic
wickedpam on 06/07/2012 19:58:16
Quote by livingonli:
Anyone have a working Randi stream since I can't find one that seems to be working at the moment.
The Mic
Comment by livingonli on 06/07/2012 20:00:40
Thanks. For some reason neither KTLK or KNEW seem to be working at the moment.
livingonli on 06/07/2012 20:00:40
Quote by wickedpam:Quote by livingonli:
Anyone have a working Randi stream since I can't find one that seems to be working at the moment.
The Mic
Thanks. For some reason neither KTLK or KNEW seem to be working at the moment.
Comment by wickedpam on 06/07/2012 20:19:10
KTLK always give me problems
wickedpam on 06/07/2012 20:19:10
Quote by livingonli:Quote by wickedpam:Quote by livingonli:
Anyone have a working Randi stream since I can't find one that seems to be working at the moment.
The Mic
Thanks. For some reason neither KTLK or KNEW seem to be working at the moment.
KTLK always give me problems
Comment by Scoopster on 06/07/2012 22:08:52
Scoopster on 06/07/2012 22:08:52
Whew.. What a crazy day! We're into the dinner reception hour here now - lots of free finger food and booze (if you have cash)..
Still haven't seen or heard from Shane. Lemme drop him another email.
Still haven't seen or heard from Shane. Lemme drop him another email.
Comment by clintster on 06/07/2012 22:33:23
Thoid!
clintster on 06/07/2012 22:33:23
Quote by Mondobubba:Quote by BobR:Quote by clintster:Quote by Scoopster:
I tell ya man this damn itouch isn't bloggie friendly...
This I have noticed, also. Is there a chance that we might be able to create a mobi-friendly version of 4F?
I've thought about this. I don't want to spend a lot of time trying to develop an "app", but I've considered an alternative URL to the blog that's formatted to make it easier to use on a phone (and not use ajax code).
I second this totally groovy, kinda now, kinda wow idea.
Thoid!
Comment by Scoopster on 06/07/2012 22:54:10
Scoopster on 06/07/2012 22:54:10
HAHAHA! Mitt's email apparently got hacked by Anonymous
.... Along with a bunch of other hacks they did today.
.... Along with a bunch of other hacks they did today.
Comment by Scoopster on 06/07/2012 23:45:23
Scoopster on 06/07/2012 23:45:23
Cecile Richards is speaking now at the opening keynote. 
Comment by Will in Chicago on 06/08/2012 00:01:07
So, why do we think that he would keep our nation's top security files any more securely?
Will in Chicago on 06/08/2012 00:01:07
Quote by Scoopster:
HAHAHA! Mitt's email apparently got hacked by Anonymous
.... Along with a bunch of other hacks they did today.
So, why do we think that he would keep our nation's top security files any more securely?
Comment by Raine on 06/08/2012 01:27:19
Sent you a TXT msg.
Raine on 06/08/2012 01:27:19
Quote by Scoopster:
Whew.. What a crazy day! We're into the dinner reception hour here now - lots of free finger food and booze (if you have cash)..
Still haven't seen or heard from Shane. Lemme drop him another email.
Comment by 
TriSec on 06/08/2012 01:28:42
TriSec on 06/08/2012 01:28:42
Evening, folks.
A little over a year ago, I posted this blog.
I am pleased to report that my Scoutmaster certified my Ticket Completion Workbook last night....I have finished Woodbadge!
A little over a year ago, I posted this blog.
I am pleased to report that my Scoutmaster certified my Ticket Completion Workbook last night....I have finished Woodbadge!
Comment by Will in Chicago on 06/08/2012 02:09:17
Mazel tov, TriSec!!
Will in Chicago on 06/08/2012 02:09:17
Quote by TriSec:
Evening, folks.
A little over a year ago, I posted this blog.
I am pleased to report that my Scoutmaster certified my Ticket Completion Workbook last night....I have finished Woodbadge!
Mazel tov, TriSec!!
Comment by Raine on 06/08/2012 02:34:11
Raine on 06/08/2012 02:34:11
Bravo TRI!
Comment by BobR on 06/08/2012 03:05:05
congrats!!! - I can't believe it's been a year already!
BobR on 06/08/2012 03:05:05
Quote by TriSec:
Evening, folks.
A little over a year ago, I posted this blog.
I am pleased to report that my Scoutmaster certified my Ticket Completion Workbook last night....I have finished Woodbadge!
congrats!!! - I can't believe it's been a year already!