For an Administration that talks a good game about transparency, recent actions by the U.S. Department of Labor certainly don’t inspire much hope about citizens’ – especially workers’ – right to information. Late last week, the Department issued a modest, six sentence notification to Congress announcing plans to rescind a series of changes made to enhance union disclosure. Issued on a Friday befor... Read more »
Has the House Democrat health care legislation become so toxic that members of the President’s own party are now denying its very existence? Apparently so. “During remarks this morning at the Finance Committee markup, there were references to the ‘House bill.’ Baucus quickly corrected the record. “‘There is no House Bill at this point,’ Baucus said. ‘There are committees looking at bills, I only s... Read more »
Legislative Status On July 17, 2009, after forcing an all-night legislative session, Democrats on the House Education and Labor Committee approved partisan legislation calling for a government takeover of our nation’s health care system. Democrats secured passage of the bill over bipartisan objections, with three Democratic members joining all Republicans in voting no. Key Concerns The Education ... Read more »
467,000 jobs lost last month. 6.5 million jobs lost since the recession began. If ever there were a time to stand up for small businesses, it would be now. So what have congressional Democrats done for small businesses this week? Inexplicably, they’ve launched an assault on them in order to pay for their government takeover of our health care system. “House Democrats on Tuesday unveiled sweeping h... Read more »
As House Democrats prepare to unveil controversial legislation to orchestrate a federal takeover of our nation’s health care system, divisions among their ranks appear to be growing. The Wall Street Journal reports on the Democrat-on-Democrat infighting this morning: “The effort to pass a health-care overhaul is being frustrated by divisions among Democrats over a wide range of issues, from how to... Read more »
Almost five months after the Democrats’ much-heralded economic stimulus package was signed into law and a week after it was revealed that the unemployment rate has reached its highest level in more than a quarter-century, the American people are left asking: where are the jobs? “With unemployment already at 9.5 percent and likely to exceed 10 percent, much higher than White House officials predict... Read more »
As congressional Democrats scramble to finalize the massive health care overhaul they plan to push through the U.S. House of Representatives this month, questions continue to mount about the consequences of their plan for American families. Independent analyses have already proven that the so-called “government option” is not going to be optional for the millions of Americans who will lose the hea... Read more »
The Obama administration took the reins of power amid lofty promises of transparency and accountability. But as the President and his team prepare to mark their 100th day in office, workers around the country are in for a rude awakening. It seems the pledge of transparency doesn’t apply to rank-and-file workers. In fact, one of the first orders of business for the Obama Labor Department turns out ... Read more »
Without much fanfare, Democrats in Congress have quietly set in motion a plan that the Washington Post has described as “an ill-disguised bid to kill a program that gives some poor parents a choice regarding where their children go to school.” Through a little-noticed provision tucked in the FY 2009 omnibus spending bill – a $410 billion monstrosity that funds everything from the United States Sec... Read more »
The secret ballot is a hallmark of our democratic society. It guarantees that individuals can vote their conscience, free from public pressure, coercion, or the threat of retribution. The secret ballot is vital to individual freedom – and yet it is under assault. The Problem American workers in particular are seeing their right to a secret ballot eroded. Under current federal labor law, when a uni... Read more »
