Stephen Crockett's Blog

McCain folks and other Republicans are running scared

Stephen Crockett — Sat, 07 Jun 2008 07:39:59 EDT

It is obvious that the Democratic Party is rapidly unifying. All the signs are there. Hillary Clinton deserves much of the credit! It has now become clear that the most offensive alleged Clinton backers posting on the Internet were never really Clinton supporters. As many people know, Rush Limbaugh launched a major disruption campaign designed to divide Democrats called "Operation Chaos". He urged his listeners to pretend to be Clinton supporters and create chaos in the Democratic Party. I recognize some of the Free Republic.com wingnuts who are Limbaugh fans posting here pretending to be Clinton supporters. They really are just Internet political terrorists. They are really frightened by the excellent prospects for huge Democratic gains at all levels this November. There is no dirty political tactic that these enemies of honest political discourse would not use! Real Clinton supporters would never support an openly anti-Choice candidate like McCain. The Supreme Court Justices that McCain would appoint are exactly the kind of Justices that Bush appointed. McCain would continue to cut funding to equal opportunity programs for women and minorities. McCain would continue the Iraq War. McCain would oppose almost every single idea supported by Hillary Clinton during her campaign. Obama would support almost every single major idea Clinton supported. Democrats want more jobs. Democrats want universal health care. We want open government. We want less influence for lobbyists and huge international corporations. We do not want oil companies, HMO's and drus companies running our government. Democrats want to de-politicize the Department of Justice and the federal courts corrupted by the Republicans. Democrats want to address the high cost of a college education. We want to really promote alternative energy. We want to attack price-gouging by large corporations. We want to rebuild our economic infrastructure before it is completely collapses. McCain will only continue the failed policies of the Bush Republicans. He is no longer a reformer (if he ever really was one). McCain voted with the Bush White House over 95% of the time since he started his White House bid! Democrats are not idiots. We do not want a third term for Bush by electing a "McBush". We want to control both the House and the Senate. We want our government back and are uniting to get it back!

Excellent commentary on Party unity in November from Tennessee Democrat and union activist

Stephen Crockett — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 12:09:28 EDT

Subject: Now that the primaries are over, remember what is truly at stake!!! Hi to all! This is kind of long, but I felt like I just had to write it. I was agonized today to see a column in "The Tennesseean" in which the writer pitched the case for many Hillary Clinton supporters to wind up voting for John McCain, and claimed that this is what is happening across our country. According to this columnist, women who supported Clinton are saying they will now vote for McCain, and the writer brandished a supposed national poll showing McCain currently with an 8-point lead among white women. Admittedly, the columnist was from the right, which throws her perspective off right away. After all, she has an agenda to help urge that switch along. But I was agonized, quite literally, to think that any woman who has called herself a Democrat or even an independent could for one second even contemplate voting for John McCain in the fall, simply because her candidate did not win the Denocrtic nomination. (That goes for men, too!) Now that the bruising divisiveness of our primary process is behind us, it is time for all of us to remember what is truly at stake here. This is no peacetime, everything's going great election cycle. Our country is in serious trouble, and perhaps standing at the precipous from which one more false step will lead to its permanent decline. The matter at stake that has lasting ramifications for many decades to come is that of the Supreme Court. Seven of nine justices currently serving were appointed by Republican presidents. As many as four seats on the Court may come up in the next four years, and almost certainly two at minimum will open up for appointments. John McCain is now firmly on record as saying he will nominate for those appointments the exact same kind of justices and federal judges we have seen from George W. Bush, and that means only one thing for those women who vote for him -- fewer rights. Fewer rights in employment and equal pay. Fewer in terms of sexual harassment. Fewer reproductive rights. The list is lengthy. As is the list of issues on which McCain's so-called "straight talk express" has been very clear in putting him on the record in the past three months: continued war in Iraq; no diplomacy when it comes to our enemies (so we make decisons in a vacuum); continued "tax cut" deficit spending that hurts our economy while benefiting the rich. It goes on and on from the man whose Senate record shows he voted the Bush line 95% of the time! It's Bush Lite -- sound centrist, but less substance! And read what the "Guardian" newspaper of London wrote today about how Republicans want to try to exploit any rifts in our party: "With the Democratic nomination settled, the Republican party are seeking to exploit divisions within the Democratic party and peel away Democrats and independents uneasy with Barack Obama. As soon as it became clear Obama had clinched the nomination on Tuesday night, the Republican national committee's research arm began releasing memos highlighting criticism of the Illinois senator from fellow Democrats. The Republicans memos featured primary-campaign comments that are critical of Obama from Democrats, including former president Jimmy Carter, senators Joe Biden and Chris Dodd, former Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack, and of course Hillary Clinton. "Democrats vs Obama," the rubric is named. The Republican party hopes to capitalise on the lingering dissension among Clinton supporters, and to split them off from the party while they are still angry. The quarry: 17.5m Americans who voted for Clinton in the primaries. The party also hopes to show independent voters that not even the Democrats are united behind Obama. "The longer the Democrats have [to take] to heal these divisions, the longer it gives McCain to organise in the key states and raise money," said David Johnson, an Atlanta-based Republican strategist. "It keeps them from attacking him and trying to tie McCain to Bush. If his own party has so many questions about him, how can the American people support him?" Republicans say that using Democrats' own words against Obama effectively augments attacks from McCain surrogates like former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney, who this morning said, "for all of Barack Obama's charm, that he doesn't have the experience to lead our economy at a time like this." It's time for us all to take a giant deep breath and begin to heal from the primaries -- and then to consider the benefits our party has derived from those primaries and the risks of not following through with that process all the way to the White House. We have benefited from the 56-primary Obama-Clinton struggle because the nominee of our party will now stand as a much stronger candidate as a result of that process. The fact that the primary process actually did what it was constructed to do this time, and was not short-circuited, means that presumptive nominee Barack Obama emerges better tested and better ready for the fall. There was no free pass this time for either Obama or Clinton, and whoever emerged was sure to be strenghtened by the process and far less likely to get KO'ed by a surprise attack later. There is a far lesser chance of a John Kerry "Swift-Boat" type attack being sprung on candidates so well vetted by the primary process. Both Clinton and Obama became tougher fighters during the primaries, and that will serve both well in their political futures. We are stronger as a party now, having drawn in millions of young and new voters, as well as attracting some Republicans and independents who for the first time have declared themselves Democrats in the primaries. We are poised by any reasonable measure for victory on a national scale that may be of historic proportions -- not only in the presidential race, but in the House and Senate as well -- IF we can heal and join together to do this. It quite literally is ours to lose, and the decisions each one of us makes between now and November will decide our own fate as a party and as a nation. Do we want to help our nation emerge from this cave we are living in? Or do we want to yet again fall back into the darkness? It's up to each of us. I hope you'll reflect on this, and pray about it, and then join me in reaching toward the future! Thanks for all you do! Jim Steele Vice Chair Lincoln County Democratic Party (Tennessee)

The Oil Soaked Tennessee Congresswoman

Stephen Crockett — Thu, 22 May 2008 03:49:53 EDT

I recently saw Congresswoman Marsha Blackburn on C-SPAN trying to sell America on the political agenda of the oil industry.

Her performance was a disgrace. She showed a bunch of charts on oil policy that were pure works of fiction. They had numbers on fuel prices resulting from policy positions that were pure imagination with zero basis in fact.

She claims that price-gouging has no impact on the current outrageous prices at the pump. Please! Blackburn expects us to believe this oil industry talking point.

The current price spiral is not solely based on supply and demand. It is largely based on market power and manipulation.

She claims not building refineries is a major cause when the oil industry has intentionally been closing profitable refineries to restrict supply and drive up prices.

Blackburn did not mention alternative energy policies which are long overdue and which have been blocked by the oil industry for decades.

We do not need more oil-soaked members of Congress. I hope her District will send her into retirement in November.

I am sure she can find a cushy position with Exxon/Mobil.

Sincerely,
Stephen Crockett

The Republican troll problem on this site

Stephen Crockett — Sun, 18 May 2008 15:06:20 EDT

It is obvious that we have a very large number of Republican infiltrators posing as Democrats on this site trying to disrupt our Party unity. This is not a new problem. For those of us who have posted on earlier Democratic Party (DNC) blogs, we know that given the opportunity, hundreds of nasty comments would be posted by crazy, Far Right Republican partisans and partisans of Free Republic.com.

They seem to be using the Clinton-Obama contest as an opportunity to attempt to undermine our unity. They have very little hope otherwise of winning the White House nor retaining even significant minorities in Congress.

First of all, both Clinton and Obama have pledged to support the Democratic ticket in November regardless of who is our nominee. All supporters of both candidates should be honor bound to follower these two leaders in doing the same.

I am asking everyone posting here to make a personal commitment to support the Democratic ticket by adding a public commitment to do so in the form of a comment to this thread.

Publicly condemn racist or sexist comments posted here on any thread. Publicly state that they are not acceptable and that the person making them are at best promoting a Republican victory even if unintentionally in November.

Any person repeatedly making these kind of comments or pledging to vote for McCain if their candidate is not the nominee should be revealed to be either a Republican or a tool of the Republicans.

Let us expose the Republican disrupters trying to use dirty tricks to disrupt the democratic process. They are enemies of free elections. They will stop at nothing... just look at the phone-jamming scandal in New Hampshire and the Siegelman railroad job in Alabama.

Nazi type tactics and language has no place in a democratic nation or in our Democratic Party.

Sincerely,

Stephen Crockett

Host of Democratic Talk Radio

Republican trolls and the DNC donation boycott suicide movement

Stephen Crockett — Wed, 07 May 2008 04:00:17 EDT

Over the past few weeks, I have received some really stupid emails trying to get me to boycott the DNC financially over seating Florida and Michigan delegations to the Democratic convention. I believe this movement is a trojan horse operation being pushed by Republican trolls.
It smells like a Karl Rove type operation.

The financing of the Democratic National Committee should not be crippled as a result of the Clinton-Obama Presidential contest under any circumstances!

The current round of anti-McCain ads being aired by the Democratic National Committee is proof. They are excellent. As Democrats, we should all be helping to finance them if we want to win in November.

Here are a few suggestions.

If you receive an email urging a boycott of DNC donations, reply to the sender that they are helping the Republican Party and that you will be blocking all future emails from them. Then block them.

If you have a website that includes links to other sites, remove all links to sites that promote boycotting the DNC financially.

Make a small donation to the DNC instead of your favorite Presidential candidate this week. Show that you are a real Democrat!

Urge everyone on your email lists to read this post, copy it and send it to every Democrat they know.

Write the Presidential candidate you support and urge them to do a joint televised appeal for funds for the Democratic National Committee. A joint Clinton-Obama fundraising ad would certainly help strengthen the Democratic ticket in November at all levels regardless of eventual nominee.

Thanks,

Stephen Crockett

Host, Democratic Talk Radio http://www.DemocraticTalkRadio.com

Editor, Mid-Atlantic Labor.com http://www.midatlanticlabor.com

Gas Tax Nonsense and Fundamental Energy Industry Change

Stephen Crockett — Thu, 01 May 2008 20:58:42 EDT

The idea being promoted by both John McCain and Hillary Clinton of canceling the federal gasoline tax for the summer is a terrible idea. It fails to address the real issue of runaway fuel prices. It has negative consequences for the safety of our roads and bridges. It is essentially a campaign stunt and distraction. The oil profiteers have already gobbled up any benefit consumers might gain from the cut far in advance of the proposed summer suspension.

Runaway fuel prices are largely the result of market manipulation by speculators and oil companies combined with a “nod and wink” approach to government regulation and law enforcement from the Bush Administration. We need serious government intervention instead of cosmetic window dressing.

Gasoline inventories are rising at the same time that prices are skyrocketing! Oil companies have been intentionally closing refineries to raise prices. The Bush administration has been taking huge quantities off the market by continuing to fill a strategic reserve when the federal government should be releasing the reserve to drive down the prices and breaking the power of speculators.

The federal taxes on fuel are a very tiny percentage of the total price. Gasoline prices rose nationally last month by nearly twice the amount of the federal gas tax. While the suspension of the gasoline tax sounds good, it does nothing but slow the price rise for a couple of weeks while gutting our ability to maintain our roads and bridges.

We already have bridges collapsing and citizens dying. Our transportation safety issue is really important. It is already in a crisis situation without following this irresponsible proposal. We need a huge increase in transportation infrastructure spending by the federal government instead of a dramatic decrease. We need to spend hundreds of billions of dollars over the next few years on rebuilding our national economic infrastructure. We should be training millions of new construction workers by giving our construction unions support for their apprenticeship and training programs. The money has to come from somewhere.

McCain and Clinton are pushing a proposal that is irresponsible and will not even occur under their terms if elected. Neither will be in the White House this summer.

There are some ideas that will help. Aggressive investigations and prosecutions in the oil industry are certainly in order. Illegal price manipulation is likely. Strengthening laws and penalties for market manipulation should be a top priority. All profits derived from illegal market manipulation should be surrendered to the federal government along with huge additional penalties. The law should immediately be changed to make this the standard.

All oil imports should be done through the federal government. The federal government should negotiate the price from a position of strength. Oil companies should not be able to drive up prices by bidding against competitors for imports and using the process as an excuse for price-gouging.

We need a strong “windfall profits tax” on the oil industry. This tax should be used to promote alternative energy and to subsidize the trucking industry fuel costs, which is driving up consumer inflation on other products like food.

Oil refinery closings should only be permitted by the federal government when they do not result in huge price increases. If necessary, the federal government should build their own refineries to supply the American military and feral government vehicles. We should end the Iraq War which is wasting huge quantities of fuel needed by the homeland.

If all else fails, the federal government should consider price controls on fuel and/or nationalizing the oil industry. The oil industry cannot be permitted to control the entire American economy for the benefit of the very, very few.

McCain and Clinton should stop playing politics with the gas tax issue. They should be aggressively pushing for alternative energy solutions like solar, wind, conservation, bio-fuels, Green jobs and technology along with much more federal regulation of the oil companies.

Written by Stephen Crockett (host of Democratic Talk Radio http://www.DemocraticTalkRadio.com and Editor of Mid-Atlantic Labor.com http://www.midatlanticlabor.com). Mail: 698 Old Baltimore Pike, Newark, Delaware 19702. Phone: 443-907-2367.

Feel free to publish at no charge without prior approval.

Pennsylvania Voting Problems- This is not about the Obama-Clinton race so keep those comments off this post, it is about democracy

Stephen Crockett — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 08:25:47 EDT

Around PA In 90 Minutes-Citizen Journalists Report on PA Primary

FROM INVISIBILITY TO BEYOND

Special 90 minute "Voice of the Voters!" & "American Voices"

Starting at 7:30 PM ET Wednesday, April 23rd

1360 AM Greater Philadelphia & and on the Internet www.voiceofthevoters.org

Millions of Pennsylvanians sought to exercise their right to vote on Tuesday, yet the 90% who had to use state's voting machines were "voting blind." Nonetheless, Citizen activists hit the streets to watch the parts of the process that they could monitor.

In this 90-minute special edition of Voice of the Voters & American Voices , we'll ask:

--Why is Pennsylvania now being called the Invisible State; portents for the future?

--Were voters able to vote or turned away? Why?

--Was there any indication of "Operation Chaos"?

--What was impact of the so-called "fleeing voter"?

--Were machine breakdowns common and how were they handled? Lines?

--Were provisional and emergency ballots available?

--What "anomalies" did voters and poll watchers notice?

--What were voters most serious concerns both in voting and issues for 2008?

--What have we learned about the State of PA Elections and Potential Impact on November?

Guests will have been on the ground, gathering information, filming or handling phone calls and will present first hand knowledge of this vital State's Operation on Primary Day. a forecast of things to come?

Dr. Alan Brau, Lehigh Valley CVI

Dr. Richard King, Western PA, PA-VerifiedVoting.org

Holly Jacobson, VoterAction reports from Hotline & Legal Action

Marybeth Kuznik, VotePA, overview of the State

Michael Collins, "Scoop" Independent News

Paddy Shaffer and Marj Creech, Centre PA. Came in from Ohio Election Justice Campaign

Sara Haile-Mariam, Philadelphia & Suburbs. Representing Youth Activists around the State

Suzanne Erb, Philadelphia (also reporting on difficulties with Disability voting)

Lori Rosolowsky with special report on the "Story of Creekside" .. Disenfranchisement?

And several others will contribute their eyewitness experience as we continue to gather stories across the Keystone State

Join in this important dissection of how Pennsylvania handled the primary, key concerns and questions, hosted by Jim Strait with input from Mary Ann Gould. John Gideon of VotersUnite.Org will provide news update as well as his perspective of PA reports.

Listeners can call in questions live at 856-227-1360 and submit questions in advance at the Voice of the Voters! Website. Internet. Access also at http://wnjc.duxpond.com/

Archived Voice of the Voters! programs can be found at http://www.voiceofthevoters.org

Coalition for Voting Integrity

For the Good of the Party and America, an Obama-Clinton Democratic ticket

Stephen Crockett — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 06:51:22 EDT

Hillary Clinton should end her bid for the White House. Obama should offer her the Vice Presidency. Clinton should accept the offer. It would be a bitter pill for both to swallow but it is what both the Democratic Party and the American nation desperately needs. Neither Clinton nor Obama should place their personal ambition, pride or emotions ahead of the needs of the American people.

Clinton won a big victory in Pennsylvania but the election was tainted by the highly negative campaign and by serious election equipment and logistical flaws. At this point, she could easily withdraw with honor. Clinton is certainly not responsible for the defective voting equipment or the thousands of Republicans who switched their registrations in Pennsylvania to Democratic but were denied their right to cast even provisional ballots.

Brad Friedman of Brad Blog predicted in advance on his website and in an interview broadcast on my Democratic Talk Radio show that the election process in Pennsylvania was going to be a disaster logistically. He told our listening audience in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania (WGPA SUNNY 1100AM) and our Internet audience that after the problems arose that the type of voting machines used in Pennsylvania made it impossible to fix errors likely to arise. The voting machines used made it impossible to verify the count or audit the results. Pennsylvania election laws and processes tainted Clinton’s victory through no fault of her own.

This writer believes she won big in Pennsylvania but the voting process was so bad that many voters will always doubt the size of that victory.

Regardless of the Pennsylvania win, Clinton has almost zero chance of gaining the Democratic Presidential nomination without changing the nominating rules to seat the delegates from Michigan and Florida selected in unfair primary elections. Even with those delegates counted, Clinton has very little chance of gaining the nomination. It would take a nearly complete sweep of the remaining election contests in places like North Carolina, Indiana, West Virginia, Kentucky, Oregon, Montana, South Dakota, Puerto Rico, Guam and Idaho along with gaining most of the Super Delegates. Basically, it would take a whole series of miracles for her to gain the nomination and place her in a very weak position in terms of defeating McCain in the Fall.

Counting on a series of miracles to win a nomination that would split the Democratic Party in half is a pretty poor campaign strategy. Staying in the race would cast Clinton in a Democratic spoiler role in the minds of the American people should it result in a McCain victory in November. It would ruin her place in history.

A McCain victory would be an absolute disaster for the American nation. It would be basically a third term for Bush Republicanism and the insane policies that have wrecked the American economy. It would mean a foreign policy of endless, pointless, bloody wars. Make no mistake about it, John McCain is a war-monger who has no clue about how to run an economy.

McCain would pack our federal courts with the same kind of partisan, ideologically driven, Far Right judges that Bush appointed. Helping to elect McCain would gut the Bill of Rights and essentially destroy American Democracy. McCain would be both stubborn and inept in the White House just like Bush.

McCain is and always has been a tool of Corporate forces in politics- just like Bush. He and his wife are likely worth hundreds of millions of dollars although the so-called “straight talker” has refused to expose their full family finances. McCain is hiding his conflicts of interests and financially self-serving political position by hiding behind his wife! It is shameful and dishonest.

Electing McCain would mean millions more Americans would lose their homes, their savings and their jobs. It would mean the near collapse of the American dollar, the almost total destruction of America as a manufacturing nation and the end of our military dominance because of economic collapse. The destruction of our Constitutionally guaranteed personal freedoms started under Bush would become complete. It would be in a very real sense a third term for George W. Bush.

McCain was a war hero in Vietnam but since then he has been a disaster for working Americans. Read about McCain at McCain Revealed.com http://www.mccainrevealed.com if you think I am over stating the case against a McCain Presidency. His record and policy positions are about 95 % the same as George W. Bush.

The American nation cannot afford a Bush Presidency. Clinton and Obama should make any sacrifice necessary to spare the American nation of this impending disaster. I am calling on their proven patriotism to work together as a Democratic ticket to defeat Bush Republicanism in the form of John McCain. Please save the American nation!

Written by Stephen Crockett (host of Democratic Talk Radio http://www.DemocraticTalkRadio.com and Editor of Mid-Atlantic Labor.com http://www.midatlanticlabor.com). Mail: 698 Old Baltimore Pike, Newark, Delaware 19702. Phone: 443-907-2367.

Feel free to publish or post without prior approval.

Democratic Talk Radio guests on our Pennsylvania program

Stephen Crockett — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 02:41:46 EDT

UPCOMING SHOWS (times are Eastern)
Thursday mornings 8:05am-9am WGPA 1100AM, Bethlehem, PA.
On May 8, we have Ron Ennis who is Editor of the Lehigh Valley (PA) Labor Council, AFL-CIO newsletter and an American Postal Workers Union activist on the show. He is a great writer on union and political topics.

Tentatively have Cindy Sheehan scheduled for May 1 at 8:35am. About her Congressional run against Pelosi. We have Steve Raysely , who is the Steelworkers (and PACE) Rapid Response Coordinator for eastern Pennsylvania, in the studio for the entire show.

April 24th in studio whole show: Dennis Hower, VP of Teamsters Local 773 http://www.teamster773.org/hower.html & Allentown City Council President Michael D’Amore.

April 17th we had Pennsylvania State Representative and candidate for Pennsylvania Treasurer Jennifer Mann on the first half of the show. Brad Friedman from Brad Blog http://www.bradblog.com/ was on at 8:40am.

April 10th- Sam Bennett http://www.bennett2008.com/ , Democratic Congressional candidate in the 15th District (Lehigh Valley) and Joe Long, Chair of the Northampton Democratic Party, Chair of the Northeastern Pennsylvania Democratic Caucus and retired UAW organizer were are guests on this show.

April 3rd- Joe Long (see April 10th for bio) was in the studio for the whole show. We were joined by IBEW National Rep. Paul Simon at 8:35 for the end of the show.

Democratic Talk Radio will have Jack Wagner, Pennsylvania State Auditor; Gregg Potter, President of the Greater Lehigh Valley Labor Council, AFL-CIO; Larry Cohen, President of the Communications Workers of America and Paul Tucker, Editor & Publisher of the Union News newspapers in eastern Pennsylvania on future shows.

We hope to soon announce the appearances of several talk radio show hosts (Rick Smith and Jerry Pippin have agreed to appear) and at least two other Presidents of very large international unions. Keep checking back for details!

I forgot to mention that Sam Lathem, President of the Delaware AFL-CIO and Senator Joe Biden have both agreed to be future guests. We are still working on a schedule for them.

Sincerely,

Stephen Crockett

Host, Democratic Talk Radio

http://www.DemocraticTalkRadio.com

Sam Bennett: Democratic Hope in the Pennsylvania 15th Congressional District

Stephen Crockett — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 09:36:22 EDT

Sam Bennett: Democratic Hope in the Pennsylvania 15th Congressional District

April 1st, 2008

If I had only one Republican controlled Congressional District to target in a key battleground state this year, it would be the Pennsylvania 15th. This is a proven Democratic performing District that could very easily take the swing out of the swing state of Pennsylvania. Turning the 15th Congressional District solidly Democratic along with the recent electoral gains made in eastern Pennsylvania by Democrats means the state will remain reliably “Blue” in upcoming elections.

There are only 7 Congressional districts in the nation that were won by both Gore in 2000 and Kerry in 2004 that are currently represented in the U.S. House by a Republican. This seat is currently held by relative newcomer Charles Dent. He is facing a stiff challenge from a talented female candidate in Sam Bennett. With a solid background in politics as a Democratic Party leader, grassroots activist and organizer, Bennett is raising significant support both nationally and locally.

Emily’s List is already looking hard at adding Sam Bennett to their endorsement list. All the women’s organizations are likely to provide significant resources and expertise to her campaign. Organized labor has been solid in their support for the Bennett candidacy. As a businessperson in the community, Sam Bennett has developed some significant support from outside the traditional base of Democratic supporters.

Sam Bennett is starting to get some national recognition especially from the Democratic and Progressive Netroots community. While most journalists from outside the District have not yet discovered the race, it is starting to be discussed in the larger organized labor community as a likely pick-up seat.

The Pennsylvania Democratic Party and the Democratic National Committee are working on expanding their operations and logistical support in all the greater Lehigh Valley communities that comprise the Pennsylvania 15th Congressional District. The local Democratic Party is vibrant and growing. The local Democratic Party leadership is strong in every community and at every level. There is a solid Democratic Party organization to build on for any Democratic candidate. There has been a steady stream of Democratic gains at the local and state level in recent elections.

Bennett is certainly benefiting from the respect of the local Democratic Party leadership developed over the years by her activities in the field. The 15th Congressional District is not a Democratic performance District by accident. The Democrats in the greater Lehigh Valley work very hard and admire hard work. A candidate like Bennett is used to hard work. She worked her own way through college at SUNY. She is a successful businesswoman helping to run a business with her husband while raising a family and being active in community affairs.

The Chair of the Northeast Pennsylvania Democratic Caucus and the Northampton Democratic Party Joe Long says, “In all my decades of political involvement, I have never seen a harder-working candidate. I have been involved in a lot of campaigns and seen lots of candidates.”

Organized labor is working the region aggressively with various kinds of programs and resources coming in from the national and state levels. The local labor community is blessed by an excellent collection of highly talented and politically aware union leaders. The labor community is highly involved, highly organized and highly visible. Many cities, towns and organizations in the Lehigh Valley have been passing resolutions or writing letters in support of the Employee Free Choice act.

In this writer’s very first conversation with Sam Bennett many months ago, she strongly expressed her support for the Employee Free Choice Act and for providing universal healthcare.

It is often stated that the 15th Congressional District has the largest number of union members, members of union households and union retirees in the nation. There can be no doubt that organized labor is very strong and active in the area. The industrial, blue-collar roots of many residents help shift the 15th District solidly toward the Democratic camp in most recent national elections. The 15th Congressional District comprises the formerly heavily industrial Pennsylvania cities of Allentown and Bethlehem.

Although greatly reduced in numbers from their 20th Century highs, the United Steel Workers (USW), the United Auto Workers (UAW), International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT) and other industrial unions still have many members in the region. Total union membership had declined significantly as American factories were closed. In recent decades, new unions like the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) have emerged to replace some of the union membership lost in recent decades because of factory closings. The region was badly hit by the closure of American steel mills and off-shoring of American manufacturing. Almost all the other large unions are active in the Lehigh Valley such as the various building trades (like the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Carpenters, Laborers, etc.), American Postal Workers (APWU), hotel and textile employees (UNITE-HERE) and service employees (SEIU).

Recently, the decline in union membership in the greater Lehigh Valley has halted. Last year, union membership in the area actually increased.

Because the labor community is solidly behind Sam Bennett, she has a very strong chance of winning the Congressional seat. She has earned their support by being right on the issues and working very, very hard to win the race. The President of the Greater Lehigh Valley Labor Council Gregg Potter, a CWA member, stated, “immediately after the votes were counted in 2006 and it became clear that Dent had edged out Northampton County Councilman and IBEW member Charles Dertinger, Sam Bennett let it be know that she would challenge Dent in 2008. She has been working enthusiastically toward that end ever since without rest. She has been a good friend of organized labor.”

There are a growing number of Hispanic voters in the various communities of the Lehigh Valley.....

Democratic Talk Radio will be on the air in Pennsylvania starting April 3rd

Stephen Crockett — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 07:26:58 EDT

Democratic Talk Radio will be on the air in the Lehigh Valley starting April 3, 2008 at 8:05 am on WGPA, 1100AM. The program will be streaming live on the Internet at http://www.wgpasunny1100.com/welcomepg.html. All programs will be archived on the Democratic Talk Radio website at http://66.39.111.188/arc.html for anytime streaming or downloading for Podcasting.

The program will feature book authors, talk show hosts, journalists, labor leaders, officeholders, candidates, policy experts, political activists and more, as guests. The program will be co-hosted by Stephen Crockett (from Maryland and Tennessee) and Dana Garrett (from Delaware.) Both are experienced political observers and talk show hosts.

Stephen Crockett writes the Democratic Voices opinion column which is widely available on the Internet. He is a member of the National Writers Union (UAW local 1981) and is active with the UAW Community Action Program. Professionally, Stephen Crockett has an extensive background in marketing, advertising and public relations. Crockett owns College Marketing.com http://www.CollegeMarketing.com .

Crockett serves as a public relations specialist for American Income Life Insurance dealing with unions in Delaware and eastern Pennsylvania. He represents the Office and Professional Employees International Union (OPEIU) Local 277 on many labor councils in the region. Crockett is an associate member of the Steelworkers’ (USW) union.

He serves as Editor and Publisher of Mid-Atlantic Labor.com http://www.midatlanticlabor.com. He has worked in dozens of political campaigns from New Hampshire to Florida. Crockett has been active in Democratic political circles in his home states of Maryland and Tennessee. He blogs on many different websites and is very active in the progressive Netroots community.

Dana Garrett is married and the father of two children. He is a former State of Delaware employee and Adjunct Professor at Wilmington College. He resides in Wilmington, Delaware. He has Masters of Arts degrees in Philosophy and English Literature. He writes for the blog Delaware Watch and is a co-host of the radio program Progressive Voices, which is broadcast by the University of Delaware (WVUD). His poetry has been published in anthologies and dozens of periodicals and journals.

Democratic Talk Radio would like to meet with your Executive Board and/or membership. Stephen Crockett can explain how you can assist Democratic Talk Radio and obtain addition benefits for your organization or union membership at no cost via American Income Life Insurance.

The Laborers’ Local 1174 have helped bring you Democratic Talk Radio by sponsoring the first 4 shows. Please contact Stephen Crockett at demlabor@aol.com or 1-443-907-2367 if you or your organization might be willing to sponsor broadcasts of Democratic Talk Radio. Airtime will cost us about $180 per show. You can sponsor a whole broadcast or just buy some ads. Ad rates are $30 per 1 minute ad or $20 per 30 second ad.

Democratic Talk Radio goes on the air in Pennsylvania this week

Stephen Crockett — Sun, 30 Mar 2008 13:00:31 EDT

The latest Democratic Talk Radio program will feature long-time co-host Stephen Crockett (from Maryland and Tennessee)and new co-host Dana Garrett (from Delaware). Guests will include other talk show hosts, candidates, officeholders, book authors, bloggers, union leaders, progressive activists and public policy experts.

Democratic Talk Radio will be on the air in the Lehigh Valley of Pennsylvania starting Thursday morning. The station is WGPA. The Laborers' Local 1174 union will sponsor a month of weekly broadcasts.

Stephen Crockett expects that "local candidates, labor organizations, national organizations and businesses will buy ads to keep the show on the air after the first month."

Ad rates on the program will be $30 for a one minute ad and $20 for a 30 second ad. The weekly show will air Thursday mornings from 8:05 am until 9 am.

You can sponsor an entire show for $180. The program will stream live on the Internet and be permanently available later on the Democratic Talk Radio website for anytime Internet streaming or downloading for Podcasts. The program archives will include all advertising content.

Democratic Talk Radio expects a very large national Internet audience for the shows.

Please contact me at 443-907-2367 for any additional details required. This is my personal cell phone so you can call any day or hour.

The Democratic Talk Radio office address is: 698 Old Baltimore Pike, Newark, Delaware 19702.

Sincerely,

Stephen Crockett

Co-host & Owner, Democratic Talk Radio
http://www.DemocraticTalkRadio.com

National Regrets and Paying for Reagan-Bush Policies

Stephen Crockett — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 08:59:17 EDT

Our current list of national economic difficulties and governmental failures is a direct result of nearly 30 years of failed Republican policies. We are paying the price in many ways for our national love affair with slick, emotionally appealing Republican political rhetoric and candidates. We ignore the harsh reality behind the deceitful words.

We have all experienced bad relationships and failed romances. Long after the romances are over, we are still dealing with the negative consequences both emotional and financial. We keep paying the unhappy costs.

The legacy of distrust, dealing with debts accumulated based on lies, self-doubts for believing the nice sounding lies and living with an awareness that we all are subject to the weakness of emotional reasoning remain long after the relationships have collapsed. There is always the possibility that the burden of dealing with the problems is so great that we go into denial and repeat the same mistakes by buying into slightly repackaged versions. It plays hell on emotional, physical and financial well-being. We all have been there.

It is long past time for the American public to end our soured love affair with deceitful Reagan-Bush Republicanism and start cleaning up the mess left behind. It will be emotionally upsetting but has to be done. The damage is great. It will require a real change in both our behavior and thinking to undo the damage and avoid repeating the same mistakes. It can be done!

In 2008, we are finally be forced to start paying the price for the falsely named set of economic policies once labeled “economic deregulation” that became the national political creed with the election of Ronald Reagan in 1980. We shifted the tax burden to those least able to bear the strain by raising taxes on both the poor and the middle class. We cut dramatically the tax burden of the wealthy and even more so for the Super Wealthy. We encouraged paper financial profits over real economic growth. We exported our industrial base weakening our nation because it temporarily profited our economic elite.

We ended usury laws, weakened government regulation of our financial institutions, permitted government “no-bid” contracts to go to political powerful corporations and ignored anti-monopoly traditions. Consumer protections were weakened. Our federal courts were packed with Republican Right-Wing Radicals willing to overlook any kind of corruption by government officials, corporations or Republican politicians as long as the results favored the wealthiest of the wealthy and the politically powerful.

Our dollar is in the toilet because we exported debt in exchange for cheap imported goods. Wal-Mart raked in a fortune by lowering wage rates in community after community, fighting all efforts at unionizing their workers, and undermining our manufacturing base by encouraging American factories to relocate to China. A government truly serving our national interest would have adopted trade and tax policies that would have stopped Wal-Mart from pursuing these policies. However, the Reagan-Bush Republicans did the opposite.

Even during the brief periods of Democratic Presidential rule under Clinton, Republican policies were often still pursued. The NAFTA and WTO deals received White House support although the majority of Congressional Democrats often opposed these falsely-named “free trade” deals. They were passed largely with Congressional Republican votes. Media consolidation resulted as a direct result of some Democrats buying into the Republican “economic deregulation” arguments. Media consolidation reduced competition instead of promoting it. It hurt small business advertisers and media consumers. Both policies have been severe failures for the American nation. They have undermined the health of both the American economy and American Democracy.

The Republican Presidential candidate John McCain promises to deliver more of the same failed policies. Although McCain has an impressive past military record, his services in the political arena are not impressive. His record on economics or finding a quick exit from the Iraq quagmire inspire little hope or confidence. McCain is simply not prepared to deal with the modern challenges facing the nation in the 21st Century.

For most Americans, a McCain victory will mean a lower standard of living and even less real influence on government policy. McCain is certainly no friend of American workers or consumers. McCain will do nothing to restore America’s industrial base or basic economic health. The “100 Year War Man” has no answers for the real fundamental problems facing our nation today! He is a real threat to our long-term national security.

Both leading Democrats are likely to be a big improvement over McCain. However, we still will need to elect Senators and House members willing to support more populist economic reforms that actually reverse some of the damage done over the past 30 years. We need to elect the right kind of Democrats and to keep pressuring them to restore economically responsible policies. We need to demand more open government, more civil liberties protections and democratically responsive governance.

I urge strongly that voters educate themselves before voting in November. Two excellent books that we all should read by then are Free Lunch by David Cay Johnston and Bad Samaritans by Ha-Joon Chang. A daily visit to Buzzflash.com or Mid-Atlantic Labor.com would certainly help you become a more informed voter. Listening to talk radio shows like The Rick Smith Show, Thom Hartmann, Andy Johnson, Ed Shultz, Guy James, Democratic Talk Radio or Air America programs would help with the brain rot resulting from listening to Rush Limbaugh, Michael Savage, Sean Hannity and the like.

You can count on the Republicans feeding you, as voters, lots of crazy emotionally charged slogans and arguments. The Corporate media will go after reform minded Democrats like resigned New York Governor Spitzer with zeal and venom while largely ignoring similar or worse behavior by currently serving Republican Senators like Louisiana’s Vitter or Idaho’s Craig. Vitter and Craig are reliable votes supporting the failed Reagan-Bush Republican policies while Spitzer actually prosecuted some of the worst Corporate abusers.

Only by educating yourself about policies can you avoid making the same mistakes over and over again. For your own sake and that of your children, this year break the cycle and vote based on substantive issues like healthcare, trade policies, re-industrializing America, shifting some of the tax burden back to those most able to pay higher taxes, resumption of usury laws, jobs, consumer protection, balancing the budget, ending an unaffordable war and a return to anti-monopoly law enforcement.

Written by Stephen Crockett (co-host of Democratic Talk Radio http://www.DemocraticTalkRadio.com and Editor of Mid-Atlantic Labor.com http://www.midatlanticlabor.com). Mail: 698 Old Baltimore Pike, Newark, Delaware 19702. Email: midsouthcm@aol.com. Phone: 443-907-2367.

Feel free to publish without prior approval.

Labor-friendly Talk Radio in Delaware and Pennsylvania

Stephen Crockett — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 08:27:25 EDT

Labor-friendly Talk Radio in Delaware and Pennsylvania

By Stephen Crockett (OPEIU, UAW & USW)

This writer first became aware that working people in Delaware had friends on the airwaves doing talk radio when Brian McGlinchey, Regional Director of Government Affairs for the Laborers’ (LIUNA), introduced me to Dana Garrett. Along with Marian Peleski, Dana Garrett hosts the popular Progressive Voices program on WVUD 91.3 FM on Mondays between 7:30pm and 8pm.

WVUD is the University of Delaware station that can be heard in most parts of New Castle County. The station offers live streaming on the Internet which can be heard anywhere an Internet connection is available. The program deals with local, national and international issues from a progressive perspective. Listeners can participate by emailing the show when it is being broadcast at provoices@gmail.com.

Because Dana Garrett is an excellent talk radio show host with a strong pro-labor record, he has just been added as the third co-host of my national Democratic Talk Radio program. Democratic Talk Radio is headquartered at the UAW Local 1183 complex in Newark, Delaware. It will be on the air in Jacksonville, Florida at WZNZ 1460 AM and will soon be available in the greater Allentown, Pennsylvania area. Both stations likely to carry the program stream live on the Internet.

All Democratic Talk Radio programs will be archived on our website programs page at http://www.DemocraticTalkRadio.com and can be streamed live or downloaded for Podcasting. Democratic Talk Radio is currently negotiating for live broadcasting in Delaware with several stations.

Many Delaware unions are closely connected with larger labor entities in Pennsylvania. Two important labor-friendly talk radio shows in that state are available over the Internet.

The Rick Smith Show is based in the Harrisburg market. Rick Smith is active with the Teamsters and Vice-President of the International Labor Communications Association. His website is http://www.thericksmithshow.com. Labor to Neighbor is broadcast out of Philadelphia. The Labor to Neighbor Radio Show is heard Tuesdays at noon. The hosts are Patrick J. Eiding and Janet H. Ryder. Patrick J. Eiding is the president of the Philadelphia Council AFL-CIO. Janet Hammond Ryder is the vice president of labor participation for both the Philadelphia Council AFL-CIO and the United Way of Southeastern PA. Their website is http://900amwurd.com/2008/?p=51.

Independent Federal Prosecutor needed to investigate feds in Alabama

Stephen Crockett — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 08:45:23 EST

Another Political Prosecution in Alabama

http://blog.locustfork.net/index.php/alabama-legislature/another-election-season-another-political-prosecution-in-alabama/

This time they are going after a state legislator who happens to be a teacher in a community college.

Democratic Talk Radio is calling for an Independent Federal Prosecutor to investigate all the federal prosecutors and federal judges in Alabama over their seeming politically inspired abuse of office. This goes far beyond dirty politics....

Maryland Republicans Set to Lose Congressional Seat

Stephen Crockett — Sun, 03 Feb 2008 12:33:59 EST

Maryland Republicans Set to Lose Congressional Seat

Democrats have numerous possible opportunities to replace Republican members of Congress with Democratic challengers in 2008. Republicans are retiring at rates that must be alarming to the Republican Party. While it is difficult to keep up with the rapid pace of Republican retirement announcements, I believe that at least 26 Republican House members and 6 Republican Senators are leaving office. Only 6 Democratic House members are confirmed as retiring. Zero Democratic Senators are currently known to be leaving office. Some of the Democratic House members are seeking Senate seats.

It is understandable that the media has focused on these seats but the best news for Democrats are the number of setting Republican incumbents from relatively safe Congressional Districts in deep trouble. This column will look at one Democratic challenger who is likely to retire a long-term Republican. The challenger is Frank Kratovil from the Maryland 1st Congressional District.

Most observers without a deep understanding of Maryland’s politics would likely overlook the Kratovil opportunity. The Republican incumbent Wayne Gilchrest has been successful in painting a very Right Wing voting record as “moderate”. For example, Gilchrest has an awful, lifetime labor voting record (in the teens). Gilchrest almost always votes against the interests of working Americans and for the interests of huge corporations. Historically, he has voted on the overwhelming majority of issues with the Bush Republicans.

Gilchrest occasionally picks an issue (often environmental) to break with the Republican Right on and publicizes the break extensively. There appears to be a pattern of making sure that the votes where Gilchrest strayed from the Republican fold were not decisive votes that impacted eventually passage of actual legislation. Although recently Gilchrest sometimes votes on Iraq against the Bush White House, the Bush Administration is currently backing Gilchrest in a bitter three way Republican Primary according to published reports.

The Maryland Republican Party is in full civil war mode. Two strong Republican state senators are running against Gilchrest in the February 12th Republican Primary. State Senator Andy Harris has the backing of 7 out of 8 Republican State Senators representing parts of the Congressional District along with most of the Maryland Republican hierarchy including the former Republican Governor Ehlrich. The other State Senator running for Congress is E.J. Pipkin. Pipkin is a former junk bond trader who has a huge personal net worth and seemingly unlimited personal political ambition. He has already run statewide as the Republican nominee for U.S Senate but lost badly in the general election. Harris and Pipkin are both running highly negative campaigns. Both are serious challengers.

If Gilchrest only faced one challenger, he would be unlikely to survive the Republican Primary. One recent poll showed that 60 percent of Republicans have negative views of Gilchrest. Republicans are busy spending huge amounts of money driving up each others negatives. Whoever, wins the Republican nomination will emerge a much weaker Republican candidate than is normal in the district.

Even in Maryland’s most conservative Congressional District, it is a bad year to be running as a Republican!

Frank Kratovil is a very strong Democratic candidate. He does face other Democratic Primary opponents but they are unlikely to beat Kratovil. The Governor, Attorney General and Comptroller are all supporting Kratovil. In addition, the Maryland AFL-CIO and the teacher unions are strongly supporting his campaign. Many local Democratic officeholders and organizations in all parts of 1st District have endorsed Kratovil with more expected this week.

He has demonstrated strong fund-raising abilities and will likely have some national financial support in his bid for Congress. The Internet has connected a national Democratic donor base with strong challengers all over the nation. These donors are likely to prove some financial support to Kratovil. Republicans are having difficulty raising money and have many incumbents in deep trouble.

Kratovil is the State’s Attorney from Queen Anne’s County on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. Kratovil is tough on crime. He shares the traditional values of the most rural and small town, Maryland Democrats of the 1st Congressional District. He is young, bright, energetic and attractive with a proven record of winning the votes of independent, Democratic and Republican voters. He has strong appeal in the rural communities and small-towns of the Eastern Shore that have often supported Gilchrest in the past.

The 1st District is rapidly changing as new people move into it. Many of these new voters are not inclined to vote Republican in 2008 and have no loyalty to Gilchrest. With Gilchrest losing much of his traditional support and Republicans engaging in civil war, the Democrats are very likely to win this Congressional seat.

Readers can learn more about Frank Kratovil by visiting his campaign website at http://frankkratovil.com/.

Written by Stephen Crockett

Co-host, Democratic Talk Radio http://www.DemocraticTalkRadio.com

Editor, Mid-Atlantic Labor.com http://www.midatlanticlabor.com

Mail: 698 Old Baltimore Pike, Newark, Delaware 19702.

Email: midsouthcm@aol.com.

Phone: 443-907-2367.

Feel free to publish without prior approval or fee.

Help Democratic Talk Radio get the message out in key swing states in 2008!

Stephen Crockett — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 12:47:08 EST

Democratic Talk Radio needs funds to buy radio time during this crucial 2008 election year. We are seeking advertisers, sponsors and donations.

If you can help, please contact us. Online donations can be made via PayPal from the PayPal Donation Center button on our website at
http://66.39.111.188/store.html
You can mail donations to our office at the following address: Democratic Talk Radio 698 Old Baltimore Pike Newark, Delaware 19702.

I spent my entire retirement fund (over $35,000 buying radio time) and have several opportunities to get on the air at reasonable costs if we can raise around $10,000 this year. I am already spending almost all my personal income advancing the Democratic cause and do not have another $10,000 at this critical time.

You can purchase ads on Democratic Talk Radio programs in Allentown, Pennsylvania or Jacksonville, Florida. Both stations stream on the Internet. We plan to archive all programs including the ads on the Program Archives page of Democratic Talk Radio http://www.DemocraticTalkRadio.com.

Ads will be priced at either 1 or 2 -30 second ads per station based on the kind of ad (commercial rate) vs. (labor union rate, political candidate rate, non-profit rate, website ad rate), the particular market and number of ad plays contracted. We would like to air personal support ads from individual Democratic activists or organization.

I can be reached by email at demlabor@aol.com or by cell phone at 443-907-2367 to discuss advertising or other funding ideas. We are willing to offer our show in your area if you can arrange a station and funding.

The best talk radio opportunities to influence the elections in 2008 are in Jacksonville, Florida market where I only need to fund a ISDN line and in the greater Allentown, Pennsylvania market Where I can buy a weekly hour show at $180 a week. The Lehigh Valley area of Pennsylvania is the most important swing region in the state. The greater Jacksonville, Florida area was the heart of where the Republicans stole the election in 2000.

Besides helping in the Presidential race, Democrats have some important potential Congressional races to win. Sam Bennett in the 15th Congressional District is in a very strong position to defeat Republican Congressman Dent.

I am personally tapped out. Besides spending over $35,000 in cash, I have donated 15,000 hours since Democratic Talk Radio started the night the Bush vs. Gore ruling was handed down by the Supreme Court thus selecting Bush in December of 2000.

Labor unions in Delaware, Pennsylvania and possibly Maryland have the potential to help me raise personal funds for Democratic Talk Radio at no cost to them or their members. In fact, Unions can obtain direct member benefits while putting a labor-friendly voice on the air. Any labor union willing to help anywhere should call me directly at 443-907-2367.

Sincerely,Stephen Crockett Co-host, Democratic Talk Radio Editor, Mid-Atlantic Labor.com

Audio interview with the Vice Chair of the DNC Susan Turnbull

Stephen Crockett — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 16:27:18 EST

http://www.democratictalkradio.com/arc.html

Excellent interview posted on the Programs Archives page at Democratic Talk Radio.com

AFL-CIO Proposes 5-Point Economic Stimulus Plan

Stephen Crockett — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 22:15:07 EST

AFL-CIO Proposes 5-Point Economic Stimulus Plan

by Mike Hall, Jan 18, 2008

http://blog.aflcio.org/2008/01/18/afl-cio-proposes-5-point-economic-stimulus-plan/

Unemployment is climbing. The stock market is dropping. The housing boom is bust. Corporate earnings are tanking. The nation’s economy is in the worst shape it’s been in years. Maybe even headed toward recession. Working families are worried.

The Bush administration today proposed a growth package of as much as $150 billion, which insiders familiar with the details say may include $800 tax rebates for individuals and $1,600 for households, along with business incentives. Although it is “encouraging” that President Bush recognizes the need to act quickly to stimulate the economy, Bush focuses too much emphasis on tax cutsâ€"both business and personal, according to AFL-CIO President John Sweeney. Bush’s plan does not address crucial problems facing working families or target tax benefits to those families who need them the most and will spend them the fastest.

In a letter to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), Sweeney wrote:

In particular, we are concerned that the President’s income tax cut proposal would not be sufficiently stimulative because it fails to target lower-income and middle-income households who, as the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) wrote last week, are likely to spend a larger share of any tax benefit they receive.

Today, the AFL-CIO outlined several proposals to develop a short-term stimulus package that “offers the biggest bang for the buck” and began to address the underlying causes of today’s economic anxiety.

In addition, with many state tax codes linked directly to federal tax rates, Sweeney warns the business tax cuts could lead to a reduction in state revenues, resulting in economically depressing budget cuts and tax increases by state governments.

Noting that compromise will be needed to quickly enact a stimulus package, Sweeney urges Reid and Pelosi to “insist on legislative measures” that will deliver the biggest boost to the economy and protect state and local budgets.

The five points the leaders are urged to include are:

Extension of unemployment benefits.

Increased food stamp benefits.

Tax rebates targeted to middle-income and lower-income taxpayers.

Fiscal relief for state and local governments to avoid the economically depressing effect of tax increases and budget cuts.

Acceleration of ready-to-go public investment in school renovations and bridge repair.

For the long term, Congress also must address the deep and serious underlying causes of today’s economic woes. Says Sweeney:

While it is appropriate for Congress to focus on measures that have an immediate economic impact as it crafts a short-term stimulus package, this is no excuse to put our heads in the sand and do nothing about the underlying longer-term problems afflicting our economy.

Wage stagnation is at the heart of the economic problems facing today’s ordinary working families.

Wage stagnation, which began in the 1970s, has led to longer working hours, higher consumer debt, and increasing reliance on home equities. But today home values are plummeting, home foreclosures are on the rise, consumer debt is reaching unsustainable levels, and prices for energy, health care, and education are soaring out of reach for many working families.

Sweeney’s letter points to several solutions to solving the wage stagnation, including:

Ensuring transparency and effective regulation of our housing and financial markets.

Reactivating the historically successful fiscal and monetary policies that place a higher priority on full employment.

Fixing our flawed trade policies.

Investing in the high-paying green jobs of the future.

Fixing our broken labor laws so that workers who want to form a union can bargain with their employers for better wages and benefits.

Ensuring affordable health care and retirement security.

Get A JOB!

Stephen Crockett — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 22:05:07 EST

Joe
Smith started the day early having set his alarm clock (MADE IN JAPAN ) for 6am. While his coffeepot ( MADE IN CHINA ) was perking, he shaved with his electric razor ( MADE IN HONG KONG). He put on a dress shirt (MADE IN SRI LANKA ), designer jeans (MADE IN SINGAPORE ) and tennis shoes ( MADE IN KOREA ).
After cooking his breakfast in his new electric skillet ( MADE IN INDIA ), he sat down with his calculator (MADE IN MEXICO ) to see how much he could spend today.
After setting his watch ( MADE IN TAIWAN ) to the radio ( MADE IN INDIA) he got in his car (MADE IN GERMANY) filled it with GAS from Saudi Arabia and continued his search for a good paying AMERICAN J O B
At the end of yet another discouraging and fruitless day checking his Computer (Made In Malaysia ), Joe decided to relax for a while. He put on his sandals ( MADE IN BRAZIL ) poured himself a glass of wine (MADE IN FRANCE) and turned on his TV ( MADE IN INDONESIA),
and then wondered why he can't find a good paying job in A MERI CA .

Y'all gotta Keep this one circulating, please.!