Amazon BLOCKED From Filming Union Voting
3 years ago
Friday, November 30, 2012
Nixon favors expanding Medicaid program : Stltoday
Nixon favors expanding Medicaid program : Stltoday
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“Our hope is that with this report, they will see the economic and health benefits to accepting the new federal health care funding, so that we may avoid leaving the working poor with no options,” coalition Chair Joe Pierle said.
According to the most recent figures available, more than 881,000 Missourians are enrolled in the Medicaid program, which has varying degrees of coverage based on income. More than 60 percent are children, and 18.6 percent are people with disabilities.
The expansion proposal calls for coverage of all Americans who make below 138 percent of the federal poverty level — about $31,800 a year for a family of four or $15,400 a year for a single person.
That includes childless adults who cannot participate in Missouri’s current program, and increased coverage for parents. The expansion would also reduce the number of seniors and disabled Missourians who have to spend some of their income before they can receive Medicaid benefits.
A recent study from the Urban Institute shows that many of the Missouri residents who would benefit from an expansion here are male, white and younger than 44.
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“Our hope is that with this report, they will see the economic and health benefits to accepting the new federal health care funding, so that we may avoid leaving the working poor with no options,” coalition Chair Joe Pierle said.
According to the most recent figures available, more than 881,000 Missourians are enrolled in the Medicaid program, which has varying degrees of coverage based on income. More than 60 percent are children, and 18.6 percent are people with disabilities.
The expansion proposal calls for coverage of all Americans who make below 138 percent of the federal poverty level — about $31,800 a year for a family of four or $15,400 a year for a single person.
That includes childless adults who cannot participate in Missouri’s current program, and increased coverage for parents. The expansion would also reduce the number of seniors and disabled Missourians who have to spend some of their income before they can receive Medicaid benefits.
A recent study from the Urban Institute shows that many of the Missouri residents who would benefit from an expansion here are male, white and younger than 44.
Thursday, November 29, 2012
Filthy Mitt Romney Delivers Campaign Speech To Audience Of Confused Shoppers In Ohio Safeway | The Onion - America's Finest News Source
Filthy Mitt Romney Delivers Campaign Speech To Audience Of Confused Shoppers In Ohio Safeway | The Onion - America's Finest News Source:
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CANTON, OH—According to eyewitnesses at the scene, an unkempt and thoroughly disheveled Mitt Romney gave an impassioned campaign speech Monday to a group of bewildered shoppers inside a local Safeway.
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CANTON, OH—According to eyewitnesses at the scene, an unkempt and thoroughly disheveled Mitt Romney gave an impassioned campaign speech Monday to a group of bewildered shoppers inside a local Safeway.
Sources confirmed the filth-covered former presidential candidate walked into the store unannounced early yesterday evening, went to the store’s cereal aisle, and started to play Kid Rock’s “Born Free” on a portable boom box, enthusiastically waving and pointing to no one in particular.
As customers began to recognize the 2012 GOP nominee through his scraggly beard and uncombed hair, Romney reportedly picked up a can of Pringles from a nearby shelf, held it near his mouth, and began loudly addressing the growing crowd of confused onlookers.
“How are we feeling out there, friends?” said Romney, who paused briefly as though waiting for applause from the baffled and completely silent supermarket shoppers. “First and foremost, thank you so much for coming out here today and for your continued support throughout the campaign. We’re making our voices heard across the country—that’s for sure!”
Gqs 25 Least Influential People Alive Ryan Lochte Amanda Bynes Mitt Romney More | E! Online
Gqs 25 Least Influential People Alive Ryan Lochte Amanda Bynes Mitt Romney More | E! Online:
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As GQ so kindly stated, among the leaders of the world, there is also "a collection of people so uninspiring that we should round them all up and stick them on an iceberg."
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As GQ so kindly stated, among the leaders of the world, there is also "a collection of people so uninspiring that we should round them all up and stick them on an iceberg."
Lucky for us, the magazine compiled a list of 25 of these great souls, honoring them as the Least Influential People Alive. And you might be shocked to see who made the (unfortunate) cut—ahem, Mitt Romney.
Oh, and they also note, "that these folks are ranked in no particular order, because all zeros are created equal."
[ABC] Factory Workers: We Were Locked In As Flames Spread - Institute for Global Labour and Human Rights
[ABC] Factory Workers: We Were Locked In As Flames Spread - Institute for Global Labour and Human Rights:
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"None of our licensees have been permitted to manufacture Disney-branded products in this facility for at least the last 12 months," a Disney statement read.
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"None of our licensees have been permitted to manufacture Disney-branded products in this facility for at least the last 12 months," a Disney statement read.
As with Disney, other retailers continue to question how their products could be found in a factory they did not know they had hired. Li & Fung, a Hong Kong supplier that works with several large brands, confirmed it was producing clothes in the factory for a Sean Combs label, ENYCE. But in a statement to ABC News Wednesday, Li & Fung said it had not brought clothes to the factory for any other client, including Sears, Disney and Wal-Mart.
Asked why it hired a factory that had been cited by at least one auditor for having safety problems, Li & Fung said it was investigating that question.
"As this tragic event is still under official investigation by the authorities, and since Li & Fung will conduct our own investigation, it would be premature to comment on our prior assessment of the factory's compliance," the statement said.
Labor rights groups said the American clothing co
Wednesday, November 28, 2012
Claire McCaskill, United State Senator of Missouri, for ST. LOUIS Scrooge of the Year | Missouri Jobs with Justice | causes.com
Elect Claire McCaskill, United State Senator of Missouri, for ST. LOUIS Scrooge of the Year | Missouri Jobs with Justice | causes.com:
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claire has not been our buddy on many issues soar might be progressive and blue dogs sometimes do make the mark
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claire has not been our buddy on many issues soar might be progressive and blue dogs sometimes do make the mark
Tuesday, November 27, 2012
Monday, November 26, 2012
Locked Out documentary trailer--rio tinto
pbs shows this from time to time. 2010 was produced date.
rio tinto uses this tactic quite a bit. sad for the present owners of american can, whih was a far superior outfit
The Daily Advance - Paul Krugman: Longing for the good old days of economic justice
The Daily Advance - Paul Krugman: Longing for the good old days of economic justice
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It wasn’t so long ago that the name of David Petraeus seeemed destined for a place alongside that of other brilliant generals of the late 20th and 21st centuries. Names like Norman Schwarzkopf and Colin Powell.
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It wasn’t so long ago that the name of David Petraeus seeemed destined for a place alongside that of other brilliant generals of the late 20th and 21st centuries. Names like Norman Schwarzkopf and Colin Powell.
Petraeus made his mark at one of the lowest points in the U.S. war on Iraq. He commanded the 2007 troop surge, under orders from former President George W. Bush, and his efforts resulted in what probably was the turning point of the war. The move gave the U.S. military enough strength to put down the insurgency and stabilize the fledgling Iraqi government.
The leadership and foresight demonstrated by Petraeus in those days opened the door to high-profile career opportunities. The U.S. Senate voted 94-0 last year to confirm his appointment as director of the Central Intelligence Agency. Some people whispered – as they had in other years about Schwarzkopf and Powell – that the cool resolve and brilliance Petraeus displayed in a theater of war could pave the way to the White House, if he chose to pursue that goal.
Today, that career path looks more like scorched earth.
Sunday, November 25, 2012
Freebies from lobbyists becoming harder to track in Missouri : Stltoday
Freebies from lobbyists becoming harder to track in Missouri : Stltoday
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JEFFERSON CITY • Many state legislators hate it when their names show up on lobbyists’ monthlyexpense reports . Getting free food or ballgame tickets may not sit well with constituents.
So some legislators work to avoid it. Not the free food and entertainment — the disclosure.
Legislators can void expenditures reflected in online reports by reimbursing lobbyists who paid the tab. On the surface, that sounds fine.
But some legislators use campaign funds to pay back the lobbyists. That practice has raised questions in the capital, because state law says campaign contributions “shall not be converted to any personal use.”
------- where is my payoff?
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JEFFERSON CITY • Many state legislators hate it when their names show up on lobbyists’ monthly
So some legislators work to avoid it. Not the free food and entertainment — the disclosure.
Legislators can void expenditures reflected in online reports by reimbursing lobbyists who paid the tab. On the surface, that sounds fine.
But some legislators use campaign funds to pay back the lobbyists. That practice has raised questions in the capital, because state law says campaign contributions “shall not be converted to any personal use.”
------- where is my payoff?
Saturday, November 24, 2012
Thursday, November 22, 2012
Black Friday Begins (Early): Walmart Workers Already Striking in at Least Seven States | The Nation
Black Friday Begins (Early): Walmart Workers Already Striking in at Least Seven States | The Nation:
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It’s on.
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It’s on.
A year and a half after retail workers announced the founding of a new Walmart employee group, five months after guest workers struck a Walmart seafood supplier, and seven weeks after the country’s first multi-store Walmart strikes, the Black Friday strike has begun.
Walmart stores opened at 8 PM, drawing additional ire from employees required to come into work on Thanksgiving earlier than ever. But workers’ protests got off to an early start too. Around 7:30 PM EST, 30 workers from three Miami stores went on strike, joining 100-plus supporters for one of several nighttime rallies across the country. “It’s been so long that I’ve been working for people that had no respect for me,” Miami striker Elaine Rozier told The Nation. “They retaliated against me, and they always treated me like crap. And I’m so happy that this is history, that my grandkids can learn from this to stand up for themselves.” In the past, said Rozier, “I always used to sit back and not say anything…I’m proud of myself tonight.”
At 9:45 PM CST, workers struck and rallied with supporters outside a store in Dallas; OUR Walmart says that the peaceful crowd was dispersed by police. When workers walked off the job in Kenosha, Wisconsin, the group says that managers kicked customers out of the store on the mistaken assumption that they were there to protest. Workers are also on strike in San Leandro, California, and Clovis, New Mexico. Stores in Ocean City, Maryland; Orlando, Florida; and Baton Rouge, Louisiana each have a single worker out on strike. In St. Cloud, Florida, Walmart associate Lisa Lopez was joined by Congressman-Elect Alan Grayson as she walked out on strike.
Wednesday, November 21, 2012
: FDA needs teeth to regulate drug compounders : Stltoday
Editorial: FDA needs teeth to regulate drug compounders : Stltoday
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People have died. Others still are sick and suffering the consequences of the tainted drug.
Congress should stop pointing fingers and write the sort of laws that will make it clear the FDA has authority over every step of the making of compounded drugs. Such drugs are for small-batch specialty medications not readily available.
Dr. Hamburg testified that the law doesn’t even include a clear definition of what compounding is, and that conflicting court decisions on the matter have further mucked up the findings on regulatory responsibility.
There are two distinctly different types of drug compounding. One is the type that was done by the New England Compounding Center of Framingham, Mass., which is where the tainted injectable steroid used to treat back and joint pain was made. The company has shut down, surrendered its license and recalled all its products since the problem was discovered.
For 20 years such large compounding companies have been at the center of dire warnings about the potential for health hazards, and have been threatened with federal intervention. The compounders dodged tough federal oversight by positioning themselves as lower-cost, community-based alternatives to “big pharma.”
Even though the current attack on the FDA is partisan, the effort to help compounders dodge oversight was bipartisan. Both the late Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, D-Mass., and former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, R-Texas, aided the industry.
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People have died. Others still are sick and suffering the consequences of the tainted drug.
Congress should stop pointing fingers and write the sort of laws that will make it clear the FDA has authority over every step of the making of compounded drugs. Such drugs are for small-batch specialty medications not readily available.
Dr. Hamburg testified that the law doesn’t even include a clear definition of what compounding is, and that conflicting court decisions on the matter have further mucked up the findings on regulatory responsibility.
There are two distinctly different types of drug compounding. One is the type that was done by the New England Compounding Center of Framingham, Mass., which is where the tainted injectable steroid used to treat back and joint pain was made. The company has shut down, surrendered its license and recalled all its products since the problem was discovered.
For 20 years such large compounding companies have been at the center of dire warnings about the potential for health hazards, and have been threatened with federal intervention. The compounders dodged tough federal oversight by positioning themselves as lower-cost, community-based alternatives to “big pharma.”
Even though the current attack on the FDA is partisan, the effort to help compounders dodge oversight was bipartisan. Both the late Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, D-Mass., and former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, R-Texas, aided the industry.
Editorial: Public pensions are a promise to be kept : Stltoday
Editorial: Public pensions are a promise to be kept : Stltoday
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Don’t look now, but something like class warfare is heating up over the issue of public pensions in Illinois.
The first shot was fired last Wednesday when the Civic Committee of the Commercial Club of Chicago — sort of the Windy City’s version of St. Louis’ Civic Progress, only more engaged — declared that “the pension crisis has grown so severe that it is now unfixable.”
“We do not make that statement lightly,” the memo from the club’s leaders to members said. “It is an honest statement that no one — not our legislators, nor or governor, no labor leaders — is willing to say publicly. But we will.”
The Illinois office of AFSCME — the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees — fired back with a statement saying, “Millionaire CEOs want to slash the modest retirement savings earned by middle-class public servants like teachers, police, nurses and caregivers.”
The odd thing is that both sides are right, but both are guilty of hyperbole. Without drastic changes in the state’s revenue picture and political climate, the pension crisis probably is unfixable. And while not all members of the Commercial Club are millionaires, it’s also true that the average public pension in Illinois is $32,000 a year. The average retired judge gets more than $112,000 a year and the average retired legislator gets more than $50,000, so averages aren’t particularly useful. But whatever the number, that’s what the retiree has to live on, because public pensions usually take the place of Social Security.
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all pension agreements should be kept. alas that is not true. ask soar 11-3
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Don’t look now, but something like class warfare is heating up over the issue of public pensions in Illinois.
The first shot was fired last Wednesday when the Civic Committee of the Commercial Club of Chicago — sort of the Windy City’s version of St. Louis’ Civic Progress, only more engaged — declared that “the pension crisis has grown so severe that it is now unfixable.”
“We do not make that statement lightly,” the memo from the club’s leaders to members said. “It is an honest statement that no one — not our legislators, nor or governor, no labor leaders — is willing to say publicly. But we will.”
The Illinois office of AFSCME — the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees — fired back with a statement saying, “Millionaire CEOs want to slash the modest retirement savings earned by middle-class public servants like teachers, police, nurses and caregivers.”
The odd thing is that both sides are right, but both are guilty of hyperbole. Without drastic changes in the state’s revenue picture and political climate, the pension crisis probably is unfixable. And while not all members of the Commercial Club are millionaires, it’s also true that the average public pension in Illinois is $32,000 a year. The average retired judge gets more than $112,000 a year and the average retired legislator gets more than $50,000, so averages aren’t particularly useful. But whatever the number, that’s what the retiree has to live on, because public pensions usually take the place of Social Security.
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all pension agreements should be kept. alas that is not true. ask soar 11-3
Tuesday, November 20, 2012
claire mccaskill comments on budget
Yahoo! Mail
Reply from Senator McCaskill
Tuesday, November 20, 2012 12:52 PM
From:
"senator@mccaskill.senate.gov"
To:
November 20, 2012
Dear M
Thank you for contacting me regarding your priorities for the federal
budget. I appreciate hearing from you and welcome the opportunity to
respond.
The growing federal debt is an imminent threat to our nation's economy
and the long-term viability of our most essential federal programs.
Today our nation's gross debt is $14 trillion. If we do nothing,
interest payments on the debt alone will limit our ability to invest in
essential programs. For example, current projections show that by 2035,
we will be paying more in interest than we currently spend on Medicare
and Social Security combined.
In the Senate, I have been focused on reducing the annual budget deficit
in a responsible way. I have never requested an earmark and I worked to
ban earmarks from Congress. As Chairman of the Subcommittee on
Contracting Oversight, I have been working to root out waste and fraud
in government contracting, especially in the Defense Department. I
support allowing the Bush era tax cuts to expire for multi-millionaires,
and I sponsored Pay-As-You-Go legislation that would require any new tax
cuts or spending to be deficit neutral. With Senator Jeff Sessions of
Alabama, I fought to impose binding caps on discretionary spending that
came within one vote of passing the Senate.
However, I will continue to oppose any budget proposal, like the Ryan
budget plan passed by House Republicans and supported by nearly every
Senate Republican, which would end Medicare as we know it. Instead of
guaranteed access to affordable health insurance, the Republican plan
would give seniors a voucher and force them to fend for themselves
against health insurance companies in the private market. Under the
Republican plan, when health costs go up, seniors would be forced to
shoulder the burden. In fact, the non-partisan Congressional Budget
Office concluded that the Republican budget would double senior's
out-of-pocket costs for health care. For most seniors, who are on a
fixed income, this poses an impossible and unacceptable burden.
I am also committed to protecting Social Security. That is why I am a
cosponsor of the Keeping Our Social Security Promises Act, S. 1558.
Introduced by Senator Bernard Sanders of Vermont, this legislation would
eliminate the cap on Social Security payroll taxes for income above
$250,000. Currently, these payroll taxes are only assessed on an
individual's first $106,800 of income. If enacted, this legislation
would ensure that Social Security remains fully funded for the next 75
years, strengthening the program without cutting benefits.
I also know that the absence of a cost-of-living adjustment for Social
Security beneficiaries for 2010 and 2011 only made getting by more
difficult, which is why I voted three times in 2009 and 2010 to provide
Social Security and Medicare beneficiaries with additional support.
Providing Social Security is a pact we have made with our nation's
seniors and I will oppose any attempt to privatize Social Security,
which would fundamentally undermine the program and jeopardize the
benefits of millions of beneficiaries. And, I will not support any plan
to drastically slash benefits for future beneficiaries.
I am committed to reducing our nation's deficit and the debt, and that
means I consider any serious proposal to address these challenges.
Because, in the long term, doing nothing is the surest way to jeopardize
middle-class priorities like education, veterans' benefits, Social
Security and Medicare. I assure you, I will continue to work with my
colleagues to address our growing federal debt in a balanced manner that
protects our most important federal programs, especially Medicare and
Social Security.
Again, thank you for contacting me. Please do not hesitate to contact me
in the future if I can be of further assistance to you on this or any
other issue.
Sincerely,
Claire McCaskill
United States Senator
P.S. If you would like more information about resources that can help
Missourians, or what I am doing in the Senate on your behalf, please
sign up for my email newsletter at http://mccaskill.senate.gov.
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Healthcare-NOW! - Remembering Jerry Tucker
Healthcare-NOW! - Remembering Jerry Tucker:
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Stopped Right to Work
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Stopped Right to Work
While he was known for his tough bargaining fights, Jerry also understood the political world. In 1978 he was appointed to lead what many viewed as a hopeless effort to defeat a right-to-work referendum in Missouri. He constructed a campaign where workers reached out to farmers and small businesses and framed the issue as a “Main Street” fight against big business. The initiative was overwhelmingly defeated.
Until his illness prevented it, he was working closely with activists in Wisconsin to help unions recover from the assault on public workers, starting on the shop floor.
Since 2009, I have had the privilege of working with Jerry in the Labor Campaign for Single Payer Healthcare, which he co-founded. He saw the healthcare fight as the linchpin of an alternative worker-oriented political economy. Jerry served as unpaid staff to the organization and his leadership, contacts, and respect helped bring a broad group of leaders to the table. Throughout our deliberations, Jerry always advocated for the long view: building a grassroots movement strong enough to confront the massed corporate power at the core of the healthcare system. He stressed connecting our campaign to the fights against concessions at the bargaining table and urged against “inside the Beltway” thinking.
Jerry had an abiding belief in the ability of working people to make a better world for themselves. Despite all the defeats and disappointments, he never deviated from that touchstone. In his recorded remarks to last spring’s Labor Notes Conference he said, “I have an uncompromising faith in the rank and file’s capacity to respond when the truth is shared and a two-way flow of strategic and tactical options is offered the base.”
krugman One reason we should pine over the ‘Twinkie Era’ | Opinion | The Seattle Times
One reason we should pine over the ‘Twinkie Era’ | Opinion | The Seattle Times
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The Twinkie, it turns out, was introduced way back in 1930. In our memories, however, the iconic snack will forever be identified with the 1950s, when Hostess popularized the brand by sponsoring “The Howdy Doody Show.” And the demise of Hostess has unleashed a wave of baby-boomer nostalgia for a seemingly more innocent time.
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The Twinkie, it turns out, was introduced way back in 1930. In our memories, however, the iconic snack will forever be identified with the 1950s, when Hostess popularized the brand by sponsoring “The Howdy Doody Show.” And the demise of Hostess has unleashed a wave of baby-boomer nostalgia for a seemingly more innocent time.
Needless to say, it wasn’t really innocent. But the ’50s — the Twinkie Era — do offer lessons that remain relevant in the 21st century. Above all, the success of the postwar American economy demonstrates that, contrary to today’s conservative orthodoxy, you can have prosperity without demeaning workers and coddling the rich.
Consider the question of tax rates on the wealthy. The modern American right, and much of the alleged center, is obsessed with the notion that low tax rates at the top are essential to growth. Remember that Erskine Bowles and Alan Simpson, charged with producing a plan to curb deficits, nonetheless somehow ended up listing “lower tax rates” as a “guiding principle.”
Monday, November 19, 2012
Sunday, November 18, 2012
Saturday, November 17, 2012
twinkie shortage--What happens if Twinkies really do go away? : Stltoday
What happens if Twinkies really do go away? : Stltoday
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Let's not panic. We all know that Twinkies, Ding Dongs, Wonder bread and the rest of Hostess Brands' oddly everlasting foods aren't going away any time soon, even if the food culture that created them is gasping its last.
Yes, Hostess is shutting down. And odds seem to favor the roughly century-old company disappearing from our corporate landscape. But before you rush out to stockpile a strategic Twinkie reserve, consider a few things. Namely, that Twinkies never die. You know full well that the snack cakes down at your corner 7-Eleven are going to outlive us all. Probably even after they've been consumed.
And then there's the acquisition-happy nature of the business world, an environment that increasingly prizes intellectual property above all. It's hard to imagine the fading away of brands as storied and valuable as Ho Hos, Ring Dings and Yodels. Within hours of announcing the closure Friday, the company already had put out word that Zingers, Fruit Pies and all the other brands were up for grabs
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I have already paniced. twinkie shortage
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Let's not panic. We all know that Twinkies, Ding Dongs, Wonder bread and the rest of Hostess Brands' oddly everlasting foods aren't going away any time soon, even if the food culture that created them is gasping its last.
Yes, Hostess is shutting down. And odds seem to favor the roughly century-old company disappearing from our corporate landscape. But before you rush out to stockpile a strategic Twinkie reserve, consider a few things. Namely, that Twinkies never die. You know full well that the snack cakes down at your corner 7-Eleven are going to outlive us all. Probably even after they've been consumed.
And then there's the acquisition-happy nature of the business world, an environment that increasingly prizes intellectual property above all. It's hard to imagine the fading away of brands as storied and valuable as Ho Hos, Ring Dings and Yodels. Within hours of announcing the closure Friday, the company already had put out word that Zingers, Fruit Pies and all the other brands were up for grabs
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I have already paniced. twinkie shortage
Friday, November 16, 2012
Thursday, November 15, 2012
letter from afl-cio richard trumka---off the cliff negoations
We told you the mega-millionaires wouldn’t waste any time.
Last week, a coalition of millionaires and corporate CEOs announced they’re launching a $35 million campaign to strong-arm Congress into cutting Medicare, Social Security and Medicaid benefits under the guise of “fixing the debt.”
You took the first step in stopping this assault on the middle class by signing our petition.
Rep. Russ Carnahan, Sen. Claire McCaskill, and Sen. Roy Blunt need to hear from you. Call now at 888-659-9401 and tell them to oppose cuts to Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security benefits and to end the Bush tax cuts for the richest 2%.
Here's some short talking points you can use for your call:
I voted to Protect Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid, and to make the wealthiest Americans pay their fair share in taxes.
Do not cut these benefits for working people or give another tax break to the wealthy.
While the rich were holding their press conference last week in a posh Washington, D.C., office to announce their multimillion-dollar campaign, tens of thousands of working people like you were outside elected officials’ offices with a simple message: The middle class voted on Tuesday for Congress to create jobs, not to cut Medicare, Medicaid or Social Security benefits or continue to pad the pockets of the richest 2% by lowering their tax rates.
Congress needs to hear this message now. Members are back in D.C. this week, ready to make high-stakes decisions on all of these issues.
If we don’t hold our senators' and representatives' feet to the fire, some of them may not be with us on one of the most important legislative battles of our lifetime.
Call now at 888-659-9401.
In Solidarity,
Richard Trumka
President, AFL-CIO-----
I have already called. Missouri senators currently not taking positions according to staffers.
one gop and the other blue dog dem and I suggest folks give a call
Papa John's Obamacare Costs Are Far Less Than Price Of Free Pizza Giveaway
Papa John's Obamacare Costs Are Far Less Than Price Of Free Pizza Giveaway:
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News flash to Papa John’s CEO John Schnatter: Obamacare isn’t the only thing costing your business money.
The pizza chain head has made his views on the Affordable Care Act clear in recent months, claiming the new health care law will cost his business about $5 to $8 million per year. To compensate Schnatter's said he will likely raise pizza prices andcut back some workers’ hours so he doesn’t have to insure them.
Caleb Melby of Forbes has graciously done the math on Obamacare’s cost to Papa John’s and according to his analysis, to cover the cost of Obamacare, the pizza chain would have to raise prices by 3.4 to 4.6 cents per pie -- way less than the 11 to 14 cents Schnatter claims he needs.
And there are other changes the chain could make to save some money, Melby notes, like not giving away 2 million pizzas for free at a cost of between $24 and $32 million to the company, for example.Wednesday, November 14, 2012
Tuesday, November 13, 2012
The Star’s editorial | Missourians deserve benefits of early voting - KansasCity.com
The Star’s editorial | Missourians deserve benefits of early voting - KansasCity.com
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One week ago, people queued up in lines a block or more long as the sun rose over Kansas City and its Missouri suburbs. Got to vote before the work day begins. In rural parts of Missouri, folks were up even earlier. Sometimes voting can involve a long drive.
Many of those voters undoubtedly would have preferred going to the polls on a more convenient day or evening. But unlike the District of Columbia and 32 other states, including Kansas, Missouri doesn’t have the option of early voting. Residents can’t even vote absentee without offering an explanation to elections officials.
That has to change. Missourians are busy people. They deserve the convenience of early voting.
It promotes fair and vigorous elections, encourages people to vote and provides time to deal with glitches such as confusion about addresses.
It also can save money. In Kansas, advance voting in Johnson County is partly responsible for a 20 percent reduction in polling places in recent years.
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agree 100%
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One week ago, people queued up in lines a block or more long as the sun rose over Kansas City and its Missouri suburbs. Got to vote before the work day begins. In rural parts of Missouri, folks were up even earlier. Sometimes voting can involve a long drive.
Many of those voters undoubtedly would have preferred going to the polls on a more convenient day or evening. But unlike the District of Columbia and 32 other states, including Kansas, Missouri doesn’t have the option of early voting. Residents can’t even vote absentee without offering an explanation to elections officials.
That has to change. Missourians are busy people. They deserve the convenience of early voting.
It promotes fair and vigorous elections, encourages people to vote and provides time to deal with glitches such as confusion about addresses.
It also can save money. In Kansas, advance voting in Johnson County is partly responsible for a 20 percent reduction in polling places in recent years.
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agree 100%
Hostess closing 3 bakeries following strike - Quincy Herald-Whig | Illinois & Missouri News, Sports
Hostess closing 3 bakeries following strike - Quincy Herald-Whig | Illinois & Missouri News, Sports
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Hostess Brands Inc. is permanently closing three bakeries following a nationwide strike by its bakers union.
The maker of Twinkies, Ding Dongs and Wonder Bread said Monday that the strike has prevented it from producing and delivering products, and it is closing bakeries in Seattle, St. Louis and Cincinnati. The facilities employ 627 workers.
Hostess, based in Irving, Texas, operates 36 bakeries nationwide and has about 18,300 employees. It warned earlier this month that the strike, by about 30% of its workforce, could lead to bakery closures.
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Hostess Brands Inc. is permanently closing three bakeries following a nationwide strike by its bakers union.
The maker of Twinkies, Ding Dongs and Wonder Bread said Monday that the strike has prevented it from producing and delivering products, and it is closing bakeries in Seattle, St. Louis and Cincinnati. The facilities employ 627 workers.
Hostess, based in Irving, Texas, operates 36 bakeries nationwide and has about 18,300 employees. It warned earlier this month that the strike, by about 30% of its workforce, could lead to bakery closures.
redo of resolution on social secury and medicare--grand bargin
earlier this year, soar 11-3 means this now and then.
grand bargin, my rear
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RESOLUTION: SOAR 11-3
Officers and membership affirm the following:
We shall not support any effort to cut Social Security benefits,
Medicare or Medicaid benefits currently being debated by our political
leaders nor shall we support any institution advocating such cuts. We
shall withhold any political or financial support to "cutters" of
these programs now and in the future.
Social Security or Medicare did not contribute to the budget crisis
and to hold hostage these programs is insane and unneeded.
What did contribute to the problem, unpaid wars, tax cuts for upper
income and corporate welfare, out sourcing jobs, trade laws none of
which are being addressed. Negotiation of drug prices would save
billions over the next decade. Bringing home troops from Iraq would
also save tremendous amounts. Going back to Clinton tax rates would
save billions and more
Gerrymandering To Blame For Election Results?
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Missouri needs mention in this list. Sad in this state, western district democrats went along with gop with sticking it to st louis metro
Monday, November 12, 2012
Sunday, November 11, 2012
The Dog That Voted and Other Election Fraud Yarns | Mother Jones
The Dog That Voted and Other Election Fraud Yarns | Mother Jones:
click link
snip
Missouri's senior senator, Kit Bond, fumed that Democrats had conducted "a criminal enterprise" designed to fraudulently register voters during the campaign and then create chaos on Election Day to cover it up. Republican losses, Bond told reporters, were due in part to dogs and dead people voting. Ritzy Meckler, a springer spaniel whom some jokester had registered to vote by mail, became acause célèbre. A few months later, Missouri's Republican secretary of state, Matt Blunt, released a report concluding that St. Louis Democrats had mounted "an organized and successful effort to generate improper votes in large numbers."
click link
snip
Missouri's senior senator, Kit Bond, fumed that Democrats had conducted "a criminal enterprise" designed to fraudulently register voters during the campaign and then create chaos on Election Day to cover it up. Republican losses, Bond told reporters, were due in part to dogs and dead people voting. Ritzy Meckler, a springer spaniel whom some jokester had registered to vote by mail, became acause célèbre. A few months later, Missouri's Republican secretary of state, Matt Blunt, released a report concluding that St. Louis Democrats had mounted "an organized and successful effort to generate improper votes in large numbers."
Todd Akin was arrested at least three times during '80s abortion protests : Stltoday
Todd Akin was arrested at least three times during '80s abortion protests : Stltoday
click link
snip
arrested at an anti-abortion demonstration years earlier. A long-time anti-abortion activist, he referenced the event as one he was proud of, but his campaign didn't provide additional details.
click link
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arrested at an anti-abortion demonstration years earlier. A long-time anti-abortion activist, he referenced the event as one he was proud of, but his campaign didn't provide additional details.
The additional arrests came to light during a new search of the newspaper's archives. The arrests were missed in previous searches because the news stories had listed Akin by his given first name, William.
Akin subsequently started going by his middle name, Todd, when he began his political career in the state legislature in the late 1980s, and has been listed as Todd Akin in media coverage since then.
In an emailed response, Akin spokesman Rick Tyler dismissed the issue as “something that happened a quarter century ago.”
The liberal group People for the American Way, which has been hammering at Akin's past in the anti-abortion movement, said that past should disqualify him from office.
“These were not non-violent protests," Michael Keegan, president of the group, said in a written statement. "These were aggressive, physical efforts to shut down clinics . . . What’s remarkable is how long Todd Akin has been able to hide these incidents.”
In a speech to supporters in September, Akin casually mentioned that he'd been arrested years ago at an anti-abortion demonstration. “Don't tell anybody I'm a jail bird," he joked. He described how “a bunch of us sat in front of these doors and the police gave us a ride to the free hotel for a while, and you know how it goes.”
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odd the st louis post would miss something like this prior to election or should I say traditional missing of news story
Editorial: Fix the shameful practice of making it hard to vote : Stltoday
Editorial: Fix the shameful practice of making it hard to vote : Stltoday
click link
snip
In U.S. v. Cruikshank in 1876, a Reconstruction-era Supreme Court declined to extend the Due Process and Equal Protection clauses of the 14th Amendment to individuals. The result was that southern Democrats were free to enact voting laws that denied the vote to anyone they wanted, i.e, black people.
Cruikshank has been superseded by other court rulings, but state governments continue to control the voting process. Statehouses, as those of us in Missouri and Illinois know full well, tend to be full of highly partisan people. One of them, Mike Turzai, the Republican majority leader of the Pennsylvania House, was at least honest when he boasted in June that his state’s voter ID law was designed to help Mitt Romney win the presidential election.
Since early 2011, 27 voter suppression actions were taken in 19 separate states, according to the Brennan Center for Justice. Voters turned down some of them, courts threw out others and the Department of Justice blocked some.
It really shouldn’t be this hard, but states have been suppressing voters since the 1850s, when Connecticut and Massachusetts imposed literacy tests to keep new Irish-born citizens out of the polls. Poll taxes in the South were barred until 1966; the last of the literacy tests didn’t disappear until 1970.
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soar members reported some delays in voting (hour delay in line), most were in and out in less than half that time in most places.
click link
snip
In U.S. v. Cruikshank in 1876, a Reconstruction-era Supreme Court declined to extend the Due Process and Equal Protection clauses of the 14th Amendment to individuals. The result was that southern Democrats were free to enact voting laws that denied the vote to anyone they wanted, i.e, black people.
Cruikshank has been superseded by other court rulings, but state governments continue to control the voting process. Statehouses, as those of us in Missouri and Illinois know full well, tend to be full of highly partisan people. One of them, Mike Turzai, the Republican majority leader of the Pennsylvania House, was at least honest when he boasted in June that his state’s voter ID law was designed to help Mitt Romney win the presidential election.
Since early 2011, 27 voter suppression actions were taken in 19 separate states, according to the Brennan Center for Justice. Voters turned down some of them, courts threw out others and the Department of Justice blocked some.
It really shouldn’t be this hard, but states have been suppressing voters since the 1850s, when Connecticut and Massachusetts imposed literacy tests to keep new Irish-born citizens out of the polls. Poll taxes in the South were barred until 1966; the last of the literacy tests didn’t disappear until 1970.
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soar members reported some delays in voting (hour delay in line), most were in and out in less than half that time in most places.
Saturday, November 10, 2012
White Power and Missouri Politics - SLM Daily - November 2012
White Power and Missouri Politics - SLM Daily - November 2012
click link
snip
But that still leaves Gov. Jay Nixon winning reelection by 12.1 percent and Attorney General Chris Koster winning by 15.1 percent. And the number of ballots cast for McCaskill, Nixon, and Koster was almost identical: In an election in which more than 2.7 million Missourians voted, the three were separated by less than 3,000 votes (or one-tenth of 1 percent). That’s remarkable.
Obama, on the other hand, received roughly 270,000 fewer votes that the candidates below him on his own ticket. Literally 10 percent of the electorate supported three major statewide candidates while opposing their standard-bearer, a man with whom they were constantly linked, and with whom they expressed no serious disagreement.
How do you explain those incongruous outcomes? I have a theory:
It’s racial. Missouri doesn’t do the diversity thing in statewide elections.
Before you send in the Reverse-Political-Correctness Police, here are the customary disclaimers: No, everyone who voted against Obama is not a racist, and yes, the people who voted against the president (while supporting the rest of his ticket) surely had many reasons that weren’t race-related.
I’m not calling anybody anything.
But here’s the bottom line: In its nearly two-century history, Missouri has never elected a person of color to any statewide office. Not one. In fact, only one African-American has even made it onto the ballot. That was Rep. Alan Wheat, the Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate in 1994. He lost to John Ashcroft by 25 points.
click link
snip
But that still leaves Gov. Jay Nixon winning reelection by 12.1 percent and Attorney General Chris Koster winning by 15.1 percent. And the number of ballots cast for McCaskill, Nixon, and Koster was almost identical: In an election in which more than 2.7 million Missourians voted, the three were separated by less than 3,000 votes (or one-tenth of 1 percent). That’s remarkable.
Obama, on the other hand, received roughly 270,000 fewer votes that the candidates below him on his own ticket. Literally 10 percent of the electorate supported three major statewide candidates while opposing their standard-bearer, a man with whom they were constantly linked, and with whom they expressed no serious disagreement.
How do you explain those incongruous outcomes? I have a theory:
It’s racial. Missouri doesn’t do the diversity thing in statewide elections.
Before you send in the Reverse-Political-Correctness Police, here are the customary disclaimers: No, everyone who voted against Obama is not a racist, and yes, the people who voted against the president (while supporting the rest of his ticket) surely had many reasons that weren’t race-related.
I’m not calling anybody anything.
But here’s the bottom line: In its nearly two-century history, Missouri has never elected a person of color to any statewide office. Not one. In fact, only one African-American has even made it onto the ballot. That was Rep. Alan Wheat, the Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate in 1994. He lost to John Ashcroft by 25 points.
Friday, November 9, 2012
Thursday, November 8, 2012
money can't buy love (or office as well)
Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
------- I am still gloating over elections. How does a Karl explain the losses to the billionaires?What do voters think? A peek beyond the ballot : Stltoday--exit polls
What do voters think? A peek beyond the ballot : Stltoday
click link
snip
THE RICH ARE DIFFERENT
The 99 percenters who camped out on Wall Street aren't alone in worrying about income inequality. A full 55 percent of voters say the U.S. economic system generally favors the wealthy. Only 39 percent think the system is fair to most Americans.
So perhaps it's unsurprising that nearly half want to increase taxes on people with family incomes over $250,000 per year, as Obama proposes.
Only 4 percent of voters say their incomes are that high.
___
LUKEWARM TEA
Voters are more against the tea party than for it. But few are worked up about the low-tax, small-government movement that helped Republicans take control of the House in 2010 and hang onto it Tuesday. The biggest share _ 42 percent _ feel neutral about it.
Thirty percent oppose the movement; 21 percent are supporters.
click link
snip
THE RICH ARE DIFFERENT
The 99 percenters who camped out on Wall Street aren't alone in worrying about income inequality. A full 55 percent of voters say the U.S. economic system generally favors the wealthy. Only 39 percent think the system is fair to most Americans.
So perhaps it's unsurprising that nearly half want to increase taxes on people with family incomes over $250,000 per year, as Obama proposes.
Only 4 percent of voters say their incomes are that high.
___
LUKEWARM TEA
Voters are more against the tea party than for it. But few are worked up about the low-tax, small-government movement that helped Republicans take control of the House in 2010 and hang onto it Tuesday. The biggest share _ 42 percent _ feel neutral about it.
Thirty percent oppose the movement; 21 percent are supporters.
Mo. voter turnout at 65.7 percent, less than 2008 : Stltoday
Mo. voter turnout at 65.7 percent, less than 2008 : Stltoday
click link
snip
Missourians favored Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney over President Barack Obama. But Democrats prevailed in the other top-of-the-ticket races: Incumbent Gov. Jay Nixon beat GOP businessman Dave Spence, and incumbent Sen. Claire McCaskill soundly defeated Republican challenger Todd Akin in a race that drew national scrutiny after Akin's comments about "legitimate rape" in September.
Meanwhile, voters narrowly defeated a measure to raise taxes on tobacco products.
Still, Day sensed this year's election didn't have quite the same appeal as four years ago.
"I don't think the enthusiasm was there like it was in 2008," she said. "You never know how the folks are feeling or what they're hot-button issues are."
click link
snip
Missourians favored Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney over President Barack Obama. But Democrats prevailed in the other top-of-the-ticket races: Incumbent Gov. Jay Nixon beat GOP businessman Dave Spence, and incumbent Sen. Claire McCaskill soundly defeated Republican challenger Todd Akin in a race that drew national scrutiny after Akin's comments about "legitimate rape" in September.
Meanwhile, voters narrowly defeated a measure to raise taxes on tobacco products.
Still, Day sensed this year's election didn't have quite the same appeal as four years ago.
"I don't think the enthusiasm was there like it was in 2008," she said. "You never know how the folks are feeling or what they're hot-button issues are."
Wednesday, November 7, 2012
Tuesday, November 6, 2012
Monday, November 5, 2012
Sunday, November 4, 2012
claire mccaskill rally in st. louis monday
invite you to join Claire McCaskill on Monday for our final Get Out the Vote Rally in St. Louis County.
Your support throughout the campaign has been tremendous — without it, we wouldn't be in the position we're in today — but this race is still close and we need to fight until the end.
Only one thing matters now: turning out Claire's supporters on Election Day. And your support at this rally will help us send a message that Missourians are excited to reelect a Senator on our side.
We need to knock on as many doors as possible between now and Tuesday, so if you can't make it to the rally on Monday please sign up to help us Get Out the Vote.
Hope you'll join us at the event,
Justin Vail
Outreach Director
McCaskill for Missouri 2012
Monday, November 5
WHAT: Claire at a GOTV Rally in Bridgeton
WHEN: 6:30 PM
WHERE: Machinists District 9 Hall, 12365 St. Charles Rock Road, Bridgeton, MO 63044
Army: No risk from secret St. Louis tests - Army News | News from Afghanistan & Iraq - Army Times
Army: No risk from secret St. Louis tests - Army News | News from Afghanistan & Iraq - Army Times
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snip
ST. LOUIS — An Army investigation into secret chemical testing in impoverished areas of St. Louis during the Cold War era has corroborated three previous studies that the testing posed no health risk to those who lived in the areas, according to a letter from a top Army official.
In the 1950s and 1960s, the Army used motorized blowers atop a low-income housing high-rise, on schools and in other locations to spray zinc cadmium sulfide, a fine fluorescent powder, into the air. The testing was part of a biological weapons program and St. Louis was chosen because it bore some resemblance to Russian cities that the U.S. might attack.
Both of Missouri's U.S. senators, Republican Roy Blunt and Democrat Claire McCaskill, wrote to the Army after learning of St. Louis professor Lisa Martino-Taylor's research about the program.
Katherine Hammack, assistant secretary of the Army, said in a letter received by Blunt's office on Friday that Army investigators reviewed several assessments and studies compiled over the past nearly two decades and found no health risk from the zinc cadmium sulfide (ZnCdS) sprayed in St. Louis.
Martino-Taylor's research also raised concerns that the Army performed radiation testing by mixing radioactive particles with the zinc cadmium sulfide.
click link
snip
ST. LOUIS — An Army investigation into secret chemical testing in impoverished areas of St. Louis during the Cold War era has corroborated three previous studies that the testing posed no health risk to those who lived in the areas, according to a letter from a top Army official.
In the 1950s and 1960s, the Army used motorized blowers atop a low-income housing high-rise, on schools and in other locations to spray zinc cadmium sulfide, a fine fluorescent powder, into the air. The testing was part of a biological weapons program and St. Louis was chosen because it bore some resemblance to Russian cities that the U.S. might attack.
Both of Missouri's U.S. senators, Republican Roy Blunt and Democrat Claire McCaskill, wrote to the Army after learning of St. Louis professor Lisa Martino-Taylor's research about the program.
Katherine Hammack, assistant secretary of the Army, said in a letter received by Blunt's office on Friday that Army investigators reviewed several assessments and studies compiled over the past nearly two decades and found no health risk from the zinc cadmium sulfide (ZnCdS) sprayed in St. Louis.
Martino-Taylor's research also raised concerns that the Army performed radiation testing by mixing radioactive particles with the zinc cadmium sulfide.
The Star’s recommendations | Best choices for 2012 elections - KansasCity.com
The Star’s recommendations | Best choices for 2012 elections - KansasCity.com
click link
note--soar 11-3 is not totally in agreement
click link
note--soar 11-3 is not totally in agreement
Editorial: The Post-Dispatch editorial endorsements: : Stltoday
Editorial: The Post-Dispatch editorial endorsements: : Stltoday
click link
note: soar 11-3 does not endorse all the post's positions
click link
note: soar 11-3 does not endorse all the post's positions
Saturday, November 3, 2012
Friday, November 2, 2012
Thursday, November 1, 2012
The Star’s editorial | This week, some scary things aren’t imaginary - KansasCity.com
The Star’s editorial | This week, some scary things aren’t imaginary - KansasCity.com
click link
snip
Scary senator
A victory for Republican Todd Akin in Missouri’s U.S. Senate race against incumbent Democrat Claire McCaskill on Tuesday would amount to a Halloween hangover. Akin’s “legitimate rape” remarks sent even the GOP establishment scurrying off in horror.
Besides showing a profound disregard for women and science, the congressman has opposed funds for school lunches, federally backed student loans and emergency spending for disaster relief. He was a fringe voter in the U.S. House and would be even more embarrassing in the Senate. Missouri doesn’t need a senator masquerading as a dinosaur — or the other way around.
click link
snip
Scary senator
A victory for Republican Todd Akin in Missouri’s U.S. Senate race against incumbent Democrat Claire McCaskill on Tuesday would amount to a Halloween hangover. Akin’s “legitimate rape” remarks sent even the GOP establishment scurrying off in horror.
Besides showing a profound disregard for women and science, the congressman has opposed funds for school lunches, federally backed student loans and emergency spending for disaster relief. He was a fringe voter in the U.S. House and would be even more embarrassing in the Senate. Missouri doesn’t need a senator masquerading as a dinosaur — or the other way around.
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