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The 99% need a raise

This summer, people from across the country are rising up to send a message: The 99% need a raise.

You and I are among the millions who have called on Congress to create good jobs, marched with thousands who came to Washington, DC last winter, and joined with shareholders this spring to demand that tax-dodging corporations pay their fair share.

And now we're taking our next step. Together with organizations like the National Employment Law Project, CREDO, and Moms Rising, the 99% are uniting to tell Congress it's time to raise the federal minimum wage.

Join with us for our Rise Up Summer, and together we can put more money in the hands of the 99%:

http://action.99uniting.org/page/s/99needaraise

Putting more money into the pockets of ordinary Americans would give a much-needed boost to our economy. Small businesses would grow and hire, and we'd put the 99% back to work.

• The minimum wage can't support our families: The current federal minimum wage—at $7.25 an hour—amounts to only $15,080 a year. That's almost $9,000 below the federal poverty line for a family of four.
• We get $7.25. They get 725%: The federal minimum wage hasn't kept up with inflation, but CEO pay has risen 725% over the last 30 years.
• We’ve got some catching up to do: If the federal minimum wage had kept up with inflation over the past 40 years, it would currently be at $10.55.

People who work for a living should be able to live off of their wages. Real legislation is being discussed right now, and it's up to us to show that there is a wealth of support for raising the minimum wage and increasing the spending power for working Americans.

Sign this petition at 99 Uniting. Together, we'll deliver them to our country's elected officials on July 24th:

http://action.99uniting.org/page/s/99needaraise

This summer, we can work to close the growing gap between the rich and the rest of us. I hope you'll join us.

In solidarity,
 
Mary Kay Henry
President, SEIU

PS - You can also stand with the thousands of us that are following 99U on Facebook. Join me and become a fan here: http://www.facebook.com/the99uniting

 

Absurdity Today – June 30, 2012

Kansas lawmakers pass ‘Sharia’ law bill

  God help us… I am not sure that the United States is going to last.  How can our form of government last when the American voters are so stupid?

 

“TOPEKA -- A bill that would ban the use of foreign legal codes in Kansas courts — broadly written but particularly aimed at Islamic “Sharia” law — is on its way to the governor.

The 33-3 Senate vote came after a long and at times emotional debate Friday.

Opponents, including two senators who signed the committee report to bring the bill to the Senate floor, called it intolerant and unnecessary.

Proponents fired back that the bill would protect the U.S. and Kansas constitutions and prevent the use of foreign law to take away fundamental rights enjoyed in American courts.

Sen. Tim Owens, an Overland Park Republican who is the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, apologized for putting the Senate in the position of having to vote on the bill, which passed the House 120-0 earlier in the week.

“This is one where I made some mistakes. The first one was signing the conference report,” he said…”

Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/2012/05/11/3607044/kansas-lawmakers-pass-bill-that.html#storylink=cpy

 

  Kansas an entire state filled with stupid people. 
Did you see what the vote was on passing the anti-Sharia law?
It was 120 to 0 in the House and 33 to 3 in the Senate.

"Did FLOTUS Kill Breitbart?" by Old Fart Rants

“Published on May 9, 2012 by oldfartrants

Some people at World Net Daily, an extreme right wing media outlet, and THE place for the latest birther and Jesus news, are claiming that Andrew Breitbart was assassinated by the Obama administration to silence him from telling the truth about their evil takeover plans. Andrew Breibart died in April from a heart attack, but the right wing conspiracy nuts are sure that he was murdered by the Obama administration to keep him quiet so Obama can win in 2012. Here are the facts they have to make their case: Christopher Lasseter, the only witness to Breitbart's actual death, is missing. His phone is disconnected, and he no longer lives at his last address. They say there's no doubt Obama had him murdered because what other explanation could there be for a guy who's been hounded relentlessly by right wing media kooks for interviews to turn off his phone, move out of his apartment, and disappear? Also, the day the LA County coroner released Breitbart's autopsy report, a photographic tech at the coroner's office (who didn't actually work on the Breitbart autopsy) died suddenly from unknown causes. Obviously another victim of the Obama hit squad! But I have my own theory. I think Michelle Obama, our FLOTUS, worked with the CIA or NSA or FBI to plan her campaign for healthy eating and exercise for Americans, knowing that Fox News would report the story as a socialist attack on our personal freedoms by the Obama administration, which they did, which would make Andrew Breibart suspicious of being healthy, you know, because of freedom, and do the exact opposite - even though his doctors told him he had an enlarged heart and to clean up his act, he kept smoking and drinking and overeating, and it killed him! When will the Obama crime spree ever end?”

 

Same-sex marriage

  I guess calling it “same-sex” marriage is the correct way to name it.  I guess saying gay marriage is not correct?

  North Carolina voters today approved a referendum to constitutionally ban same-sex marriage.
  Have you noticed, for some reason, that North and South Carolina are fucked up states?  I do not know why that is… But in their politics they have the worst people for some reason. Most of all South Carolina.

  My family and many of my friends to not agree with me but I do not approve of gay “marriage.” 
  It is the word “marriage” that I have the problem with…  I think that should be a man and a woman.  I do not have a problem with “civil union.”  Or call the civil union anything you want other than “marriage.”

  The people that have a civil union should have every right that married people have.  Zero difference.

  I think the way it should have been handled and I guess it is to late…. Is if you have your union in a church then it is a “marriage.”  So if some religion want to “marry” two men then it would be a marriage. 
  But that would not work because anyone cab become “clergy.”  I was “ordained” by the Universal Life Church on April 20th, of 2002.

  I still think that “marriage” should be a union between a man and a woman.
I think a lot of people my age feel that way… But I am 71 years old and one of these days I will not be here and times will change.

Video: You’re so Bain

Republican loses endorsement after bring in Sheriff Arpaio

  I love this this…  A Republican congressional candidate in North Carolina last week got the endorsement of the “Charlotte Observer.” 
  Then he brought in Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio to a campaign event and Joe Arpaio supported him.
  Well Jim Pendergraph, the candidate, has now had the newspaper retract their endorsement of him.

  Here is the papers retraction:

 

“After winning the Observer’s endorsement in his bid for Congress, he has done nothing but embarrass us and himself.

By buddying up to one of America’s more hateful egomaniacs and then joining with fringe “birthers” to question President Obama’s citizenship, Pendergraph has contradicted much of what he told the Observer’s editorial board in his endorsement interview last month. As a result, we have lost faith in him, and urge voters to consider Edwin Peacock or Ric Killian in the 9th Congressional District race…”

  God, I love it when something like this happens.  Not just because he is a part of the evil empire but I love it when someone is so stupid and will do and say anything to get votes and then it comes back and bites them in the ass.  It does not happen very often.

   Keep in mind the newspaper is NOT supporting a Democrat now they are telling their readers to vote for one of the other two Republicans running for the Republican nomination.  It looks like nine Republicans are running for that nomination.

To little and to late

“Washington (CNN) -- More than 100 people have been charged and an estimated $450 million in false billings uncovered by federal agents in a nationwide operation that authorities say is the largest bust in recent history.

Top law enforcement officials announced the charges were lodged in seven metropolitan areas, capping an investigation of several months into efforts to defraud Medicare, Medicaid and other federal health programs.

At least 91 of the defendants in the case have been taken into custody following an early morning roundup and the execution of 20 search warrants, the officials said.

In Miami, 59 people were charged. Seven defendants were charged in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, nine were charged in Houston, eight were charged in Los Angeles, 22 were charged in Detroit, one was charged in Chicago and one in Tampa…”

 

  Well it is about time.  But it is to little and to late.
The amount of Medicare and Medicaid fraud is massive.  Doctors and other health care corporations are stealing billions of dollars.
  If we add more federal agents to this sort investigation it does not cost us money.  It saves us money. 
  The problem is not old people on Medicare or poor people on Medicaid.  They are not the crooks.  The crooks are “doctors” and lawyers and medical corporations.
 
  The Republican Governor of Florida is just one sample of the fraud and crime taking place in the United States. 

  

  “…In 1987, at age 34, he co-founded Columbia Hospital Corporation with two business partners; this merged with Hospital Corporation of America in 1989 to form Columbia/HCA and eventually became the largest private for-profit health care company in the U.S. He resigned as Chief Executive of Columbia/HCA in 1997 amid a controversy over the company's business and Medicare billing practices; the company ultimately admitted to fourteen felonies and agreed to pay the federal government over $600 million; Scott was not implicated. Scott later became a venture capitalist…”

  A handful of these people get arrested from time to time.  So the FBI and the government can take credit for doing something.  I wonder how often these arrests just happen to take place before an election?
  
  Do you get the picture.  A guy is the head of a massive corporation that steals billions of dollars from the American people and nothing happens to him.  Well something happens to him he get elected the Republican Governor of Florida.

  Some of you may remember that when I was living in Orlando (FL) that I took a job with a contract guard company.  They were so happy when I walked in the door.
  They had the contract to provide security for a Columbia/HCA hospital.
  So they put me in charge and sent me out to the Columbia/HCA hospital. 
 

  I had to work there a few months.  It was the worst hospital I have even seen.  They could do nothing correct.  I guess the only thing that a Columbia/HCA do is steal money.

Body-bomb threats

“(CNN) -- Steps were being taken to guard against a new threat of "body bombs" planted inside passengers aboard flights heading to the United States from overseas, a government official with knowledge of the threat said Tuesday.

Authorities have increased aviation security, especially on air carriers heading to the United States from the United Kingdom, other parts of Europe and the Middle East in the days surrounding the one-year anniversary of the death of al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, said the official, who asked not to be named because of the sensitivity of the information and to protect the specifics of how the risk came to light…”

 

  A lot of people give TSA hell over security steps taken at airports.  They object to the scanners and pat downs.  Part of it is politics.  The Republicans hate government employees and they do not want any jobs with well paid employees and sure as hell not employees that are in a union. 

  If there is a threat from al Qaeda putting bombs inside people and then getting them on a U. S. flight just think about the steps that TSA will have to take to counter that threat.
  What will they do?
  They could do full body X-rays of everyone.
  They could put the person in a bomb box of some sort and then blast them with signals that will set off any bomb.

  I am glad that I do not fly. 
  I feel sorry for people that do fly.
  We need a national ID card.  One that is 110% secure.  We could then could not worry about those people.  Then we could turn our attention to all the real risks.

What color is the sky in Joe Scarborough’s world?

  I do not know why I watch “Morning Joe.”  The show would be excellent  if Joe Scarborough was not on it.  But he is on it and we have to listen to his point of view because he was a Republican Congressman from 1995 to 2001.  He never fails to remind us every day over and over again that he was in Congress.

 
  Well this morning Joe Scarborough was trying to make some point and all over the place.  He was upset that President Obama was taking credit for killing Osama bin Laden one year ago today.
  He was upset with a video that the Obama people put out about Mitt Romney. 
  Then he did not approve of a comment that Mitt Romney made about President Carter.
  It seems that Joe does not think you can say anything bad about an ex-president after 30 years.  I am not sure if that is only if they are still alive or not.
  He also made a defense of President Hoover saying how he did not cause the great depression.  (No one has ever said President Hoover (R) every caused the depression.)  Hoover was a very smart man and a very kind and decent man but he was a Republican and when the depression hit one year into his term he did NOTHING (zero) to fix the problem.  Because as a Republican he felt there was nothing that could be done.  It was up to business to decide to start building and hiring again.  So for three years he waited and for that the American people hated his guts and never forgave him or the Republican Party.
 
  I am not sure what point that Joe Scarborough was trying to make this morning.  Except to re-write his on history. 
  I am not sure why I watch the show.
  I guess I watch so I can look at Mika Brzezinski and listen to Willie Geist.

  I used to watch Don Imus when “Imus in the Morning” was in that time slot.  I watched Don Imus to just get his spin on the current news. 
  I don’t like the spin from Joe Scarborough.