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LOUISVILLE /JEFFERSON COUNTY

DEMOCRATIC PARTY NEWSLETTER

Week of May 27, 2007

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CLICK HERE FOR CURRENT LIST OF EVENTS

Updated on a regular basis

The Louisville/Jefferson County Democratic Executive Committee meets the 4th Wednesday of every month at 5:00 pm at 901 Barret Avenue .

 

Notice to our Readers &  2007 General Election Candidates:

This newsletter will carry in this space any Democratic candidates' notice of events or communications (250 words or less) to our readers that the candidate provides to the editor at rcrider@louisvilledem.com

 

 

Yarmuth Supporting Two Bills This Week to Regulate Gas Prices

Legislation Tackles Oil Company Collusion and Price Gouging

This week, Congressman John Yarmuth (KY-3) and the House of Representatives will consider two pieces of legislation aimed at cutting soaring gas prices. 

"The oil industry is raking in world-record profits by picking the pockets of consumers with inflated gas prices," Congressman Yarmuth said.  "The American public is being gouged at the pump, and it's time for Congress to step in and stop it."

Today, the House will debate the first bill, S. 879, the No Oil Producing and Exporting Cartels Act (NOPEC), which would extend the Sherman Antitrust Act to international oil companies, banning collusion that inflates the price of oil.  Currently, the Organization of Oil Exporting Countries (OPEC) is not subject to United States Antitrust laws, even within U.S. borders.

The second bill, H.R. 1252, The Federal Price Gouging Prevention Act, will be considered tomorrow and prevents the artificial inflation of the cost of energy and gives the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) authority to investigate and punish those responsible.  Although the FTC has found refiners, wholesalers, and retailers have at times charged significantly higher prices that were not attributable to either increased costs or national or international market trends.  However, the FTC has never brought a gas price gouging case to court, because the federal government has never adequately defined price gouging or given the FTC the tools to properly prosecute price gouging.  

The bills come to the floor as Louisville's gas prices reached record highs this week. 

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Congressman Yarmuth Unveils New, Improved Website

(Washington, DC) Today, Congressman John Yarmuth (KY-3) officially unveiled the new, expanded website for the Third Congressional District: www.yarmuth.house.gov.

The site provides a one stop shop for Yarmuth's activities, including the latest news, Congressman Yarmuth's weekly schedule, and video from hearings like the investigation into the disclosure of Valerie Plame's identity.  The site also provides information on constituent services that help with  federal agencies, military academies, and grants.  Floor speeches, the recording of Yarmuth's "Virtual Town Hall Meeting" on education, and a section of "fun facts" about Louisville can also be found on the site.

A survey, which will change regularly, allows constituents to share their priorities with Yarmuth. 

"I'm thrilled to have another way to communicate with Louisvillians about the work I'm doing," Yarmuth said.  "I hope people will take advantage of it as a way to give me feedback and let me know what we can do to help improve people's lives."

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Labor group backs Beshear

The Labor Coalition for Kentucky Working Families today urged Democratic solidarity to support Steve Beshear and his running mate, Daniel Mongiardo, in trying to defeat Republican Ernie Fletcher in the November general election for governor.

Gary Best, president of United Food and Commercial Workers 227 said in a statement, “Fletcher has raced to the bottom in seeking low wage jobs that cannot sustain families in Kentucky. After 3 1/2 years of Fletcher's leadership, health care is less affordable than ever for average Kentuckians.

“ We must rally around Steve Beshear and Dan Mongiardo who will value Kentucky workers by extending an opportunity to share in the American dream."

Steve Neal, executive director of the Jefferson County Teachers Association, added, "In February, we took a stand against (Democrat) Bruce Lunsford for his support of Fletcher in ‘03.”

Neal said, “Today we want to send a message to Bruce that we accept his apologies and welcome him to join the coalition members in working to address the problems that working Kentuckians face daily. The only thing that matters now is rallying around our elected nominees to support a commitment to a Kentucky we all strive to live, work and play in."

Fred Zuckerman, president of Teamsters Local 89, also said the labor group is asking the other Democratic candidates for governor “to join us in a united Democratic effort to take back the statehouse to make all Kentucky a place we can all live and prosper.”

--Jack Brammer

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McConnell Threatens Mystery ‘Resolution’ To Match ‘No Confidence’ Vote For Gonzales

On ABC’s This Week, host George Stephanopoulos asked Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) if he still believes that Attorney General Alberto Gonzales “can effectively run the Justice Department,” considering the explosive revelations in former Deputy Attorney General James Comey’s Senate testimony.

McConnell dodged the question and refused to comment on Gonzales’ hamstrung abilities, instead saying “that’s for the president to decide.”

When Stephanopoulos followed up by asking McConnell if he would “vote against the no-confidence resolution” introduced by Sens. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) and Chuck Schumer (D-NY) earlier this week, McConnell suggested that Gonzales backers will introduce a separate, mystery resolution to compete with the   “no confidence” vote. Watch it:

While Sen. McConnell may want to avoid a “no-confidence” vote for the attorney general by threatening a mystery resolution, support for the measure appears to be strong. Sen. Schumer, one of the co-sponsors of the resolution, told the Washington Times on Friday that the vote “would draw support from at least 60 senators.” Appearing on CBS’ Face The Nation today, Sen. Arlen Specter (R-PA), the ranking Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee, said that he believes support for the no confidence vote is “very substantial.”

Transcript

STEPHANOPOULOS: Let me ask you one final question about Attorney General Alberto Gonzales. After that testimony this week by the former deputy attorney general, James Comey, at least two more senators have called for his resignation.

I know you believe that is the president’s decision. But you still believe that the attorney general can effectively run the Justice Department?

MCCONNELL: Look, that’s for the president to decide. The attorney general serves at the pleasure of the president. If the president says he’s satisfied with the job the attorney general’s doing, the opinions of senators are interesting and certainly make good fodder for Sunday talk shows.

But as long as he’s satisfied the president, I think he’s going to continue.

STEPHANOPOULOS: So you’ll vote against the no-confidence resolution by Senator Schumer?

MCCONNELL: Well, we won’t have a no-confidence resolution in the Senate unless there are other resolutions. In the Senate, nobody gets a clear shot. If there’s a resolution on Attorney General Gonzales, there will probably be another kind of resolution. So we’ll see what happens.

More Mitch 

The always cynical and self-serving McConnell was key in rejecting a bill that would have allowed senior citizens to purchase inexpensive Canadian drugs because, he claimed, the U.S. couldn’t guarantee their safety. When someone rings up the safety of Chinese products to McConnell he turns into a veritable dragon lady, screaming and hissing and cursing about “Free Trade.”  Source

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More Conservative Blogs Join Call For Larry Forgy To Challenge Mitch McConnell

There is little doubt that Mitch McConnell's support among Kentucky's conservatives is quickly eroding. Today, Kentucky Progress published a post titled "A Primary Opponent For Mitch McConnell In 2008?" and noted, "Voters are angry enough about politicians playing power games rather than staying focused on improving government." Commentators also specualated that multi-millionaire Paducah businessman Billy Harper will also challenge Mitch McConnell if he loses the Republican primary for Governor on Tuesday. Harper is a true conservative, unlike Louisville's Mitch McConnell and Anne Northup, but many activists question the way he abandoned supporting Governor Fletcher. However, one conservative couple that supporter Harper posted, "Our bumper sticker reads: Anyone But Mitch !!" Conservative Edge, fresh off being featured today in the Courier-Journal, also linked to the Kentucky Progress post.

Update: The Senate 2008 Guru also posted on the Draft Forgy efforts, noting:

There is apparently an effort underway to draft 1995 KY-GOP gubernatorial nominee Larry Forgy to run in a Senate primary against Mitch McConnell. Could just be a flash in the pan, but something to keep an eye on.  Source

 

 

 It's a great time to be a Democrat! The party today stands united behind Steve Beshear and Dan Mongiardo and the rest of the slate as we prepare for victory in November.

It's also a great time to be a Young Democrat. Our candidates need our involvement now more than ever, and the Louisville Young Democrats are ready to accept that challenge. Get involved today by joining the Louisville's premier organization for Democrats under 40. We will have several events in the coming months focusing on building up the membership base and promoting the candidates for statewide office, but we will need your help in accomplishing this.

Our next general meeting will be 7 p.m. Thursday, June 21 at the party headquarters, 640 Barret Ave. (behind the old Jillian's). Please be there and bring a friend!

For more information about the Louisville Young Democrats, annual dues, committees and meetings, please contact President Lisa Tanner at lydpresident@gmail.com or Communications Director Steve Bittenbender at lydcommunicationsdir@gmail.com.

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In a 306-114 vote, the House yesterday passed legislation "that would curb President Bush's power to appoint prosecutors indefinitely," limiting interim U.S. attorneys' terms to 120 days. The Senate has already approved the bill, and it now heads to Bush for his signature.

DAILY GRILL     

"And I think having a personal relationship makes that, quite frankly, much easier always to deliver bad news." -- Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, 5/19/07

VERSUS

QUESTION: Do you recall a time when you (were) in there and said, "Mr. President, we can't do this?"
GONZALES: Oh, yeah.
QUESTION: Can you share it with us?
GONZALES: No.
-- Associated Press, 5/19/07

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"I have not gone back and spoken directly with Mr. Sampson and others who are involved in this process in order to protect the integrity of this investigation and the investigation of the Office of Professional Responsibility and the Office of Inspector General. I am a fact witness. They are fact witnesses."             -- Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, 5/10/07

VERSUS

DAVIS: Ms. Goodling, did the attorney general have a conversation with you regarding the terminations of United States attorneys?
GOODLING: Yes, he did.
DAVIS: And when did this conversation happen?
GOODLING: It was in March, before I left the department.
DAVIS: Did you know you might be a fact witness at that point, Ms. Goodling?
GOODLING: Yes.
-- Former Justice Department liaison to the White House Monica Goodling, 5/24/07, in an exchange with Rep. Artur Davis (D-AL)

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Quotes of the Day   

“This should be a very entertaining and competitive election. If I had to call it right now, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Fletcher stick around for four more years.”  - Joe Gershtenson, director of the Center for Kentucky History and Politics at Eastern Kentucky University

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Recent Senate Votes 

 

Budget Resolution, FY2008 - Vote Agreed to (52-40, 8 Not Voting)

The Senate passed the conference report for this $2.9 trillion budget plan for the upcoming fiscal year.

Sen. Mitch McConnell voted NO

Sen. Jim Bunning voted NO

 

Recent House Votes 

 

National Defense Authorization Act - Vote Passed (397-27, 8 Not Voting)

The House passed this bill authorizing $504 billion in Defense Department spending and $142 billion for military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan for the upcoming fiscal year.

Rep. John Yarmuth voted YES

Rep. Ron Lewis voted YES 

 

Budget Resolution, FY2008 - Vote Passed (214-209, 10 Not Voting)

The House passed the conference report for this $2.9 trillion budget plan for the upcoming fiscal year.

Rep. John Yarmuth voted YES

Rep. Ron Lewis voted Not Voting

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By Holding Minimum Wage Hostage, Senate Republicans Cost Workers $750, by Mike Hall

On Jan. 10, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill to raise the federal minimum from $5.15 an hour, where it had been stuck since 1997, to $7.25 an hour. But Senate Republicans killed the bill Jan. 24 and set off a 134-day minimum wage hostage crisis.

Finally yesterday, Senate Republicans released their hostage when they approved a supplemental Iraq war spending bill that included the wage hike. It’s estimated the increase will raise the pay of some 13 million workers who earn less than $7.25 an hour and another 7.4 million who earn a bit more but are likely to see their pay increase.

In a nutshell, here’s what happened since the House passed the bill more than three months ago. With Bush’s blessing, Senate Republicans engaged in filibuster, insisted on massive tax breaks for businesses, refused a House compromise on the tax breaks and even balked at going to a conference with the House to hash out a deal.

A bit of simple math shows the following: The delay tactics cost minimum wage workers $750. (The raise comes in three steps—the first is a 70-cent-an-hour increase, or $5.60 a day, for an eight-hour day, comes to $750.40 for 134 days.)

The final wage package trimmed the Senate Republicans’ tax breaks for businesses from $8.3 billion to $4.8 billion, but even that multibillion-dollar giveaway doesn’t satisfy the Bush administration.

Although a White House spokesman said Bush would sign the spending bill with the attached wage increase, he said the tax breaks were “not sufficiently focused on the economic concerns” of business. But on the other hand, since when has the Bush administration been sufficiently focused on the economic concerns of working families?

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HUMOR   

"The price of gas just keeps going up. Gas is so expensive that today I saw Jimmy Carter and President Bush carpooling." --Jay Leno

"President Carter called President Bush the worst president in history. And then the White House said, 'No. Jimmy Carter was irrelevant.' Even Simon Cowell and Ryan are saying, 'Hey. Why all the insults?'" --Jay Leno

"Carter actually said George W. Bush is the worst in history. Then Bush said, 'No, that's not true.' He said he was the worst in math and English. He actually got a C-minus in history." --Jay Leno

"Ex-presidents are not supposed to insult the current president. It's one of those unwritten rules. Well now Jimmy Carter is backtracking. He's saying his comments were misinterpreted. Yeah, I'm sure the phrase 'worst in history' can be taken any number of ways." --Jay Leno

"Under President Bush, sure, we have the war in Iraq. But the young kids don't remember. Under President Carter, we had something far worse -- disco." --Jay Leno

"All the candidates have made their financial disclosures. Mitt Romney appears to be the richest Republican, worth about $250 million. To which Rudy Giuliani said, 'I would have been worth that much if I just had one wife too.'" --Jay Leno

"Senator John McCain and Texas Senator John Cornyn recently got into a heated match, yelling at each other over the details of this new immigration bill. ... Ironically, you know how it ended? A Mexican standoff." --Jay Leno

"President Bush said today we need to find a middle ground on immigration. We already have a middle ground on immigration. It's called Texas, Arizona, Southern California." --Jay Leno

"According to a new survey in Money Magazine, six percent of Americans said they would be willing to sleep with their boss if it would help their career. When he heard about it, the head of the World Bank, Paul Wolfowitz, said, 'I need names. I need phone numbers.'" --Jay Leno

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CONGRESS --  REID PLANS TO BLOCK BUSH'S RECESS APPOINTMENTS DURING AUGUST VACATION: Weary of President Bush using recess appointments to bypass the Senate confirmation process during Congress's August vacation, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) has a plan to deny him the opportunity, according to U.S News. "Reid will call the Senate into session just long enough to force the [president] to send his nominees who need confirmation to the chamber." Reid's plan is to "hold a quickie 'pro forma' session every 10 days, tapping a local senator to run the hall." Bush has an established track record of using recess appointments to sneak controversial figures past the Senate without confirmation. In 2005, Bush installed John Bolton as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations with a recess appointment after an unsuccessful "grinding five-month battle" to gather support for Bolton's confirmation. This past April, Bush named Republican fundraiser and Swift Boat Veterans for Truth financier Sam Fox as U.S. ambassador to Belgium after the Senate had "derailed" his nomination. Hans von Spakovsky, who was described yesterday by McClatchy as "a key player in a Republican campaign to hang onto power in Washington by suppressing the votes of minority voters," was placed by Bush on the Federal Elections Commission via a recess appointment in Jan. 2006.

CONGRESS -- NO CONFIDENCE VOTE REFLECTS INCREASING BIPARTISAN PRESSURE FOR GONZALES TO RESIGN: In the wake of a no confidence vote proposed by Sens. Charles Schumer (D-NY) and Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Attorney General Alberto Gonzales is under increasing pressure to resign due to his handling of the U.S. attorneys controversy. According to Schumer and Feinstein, the goal of the nonbinding resolution is "to express what senators of both parties have said for weeks: that Gonzales has become too weakened to run the department." Underlying the importance of the no confidence resolution, Sen. Arlen Specter (R-PA) called the vote a "rare" and "very forceful, historical statement." He predicted that "before the vote is taken that Attorney General Gonzales may step down." "More than a century ago one was leveled against a sitting president. I think historically that is something which Attorney General Gonzales would like to avoid. The most important thing, though, is the inability of the department now to function," Specter said. In response, Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) threatened a "mystery resolution" that would be introduced by Gonzales supporters to counter the no confidence vote. But such a resolution may be hard to come by, as support for Gonzales has waned, with at least six Senate Republicans calling on Gonzales to resign. The no confidence vote is already gaining bipartisan support. Schumer told the Washington Times on Friday that the vote "would draw support from at least 60 senators." Despite the quickly declining support for Gonzales, the White House remains steadfast in its support for him, stating last week that Gonzales' confidence "will not ebb and flow with this President." 

HOMELAND SECURITY -- GOVERNMENT UNPREPARED DURING HURRICANE PREPAREDNESS WEEK: Last Friday, on the verge of the 2007 hurricane season, President Bush proclaimed the week of May 20 through May 26 as National Hurricane Preparedness Week. Two leading storm experts are predicting a busy hurricane season, where "the Texas Gulf coast is twice as likely to be hit as in an average year and Florida appears four times as likely." Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) director R. David Paulison, who will testify on Capitol Hill this week about "how prepared the United States really is for the next big storm," vowed at a hurricane conference last week that FEMA be would ready for the season. "But, by their own admission, FEMA officials will not have their emergency response plans ready by the start of the hurricane season on June 1." One reason for the incomplete plans may be a lack of sufficient funds for hurricane research. Yesterday, Bill Proenza, the director of the National Hurricane Center, "lashed out at his superiors in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration," complaining that they plan to spend $4 million on a 200-year anniversary celebration while shortchanging hurricane research by about $700,000. In New Orleans, "some of the most celebrated levee repairs by the Army Corps of Engineers after Hurricane Katrina are already showing signs of serious flaws," one expert says, warning that heavy storms may cause "tear-on-the-dotted-line levees."

ECONOMY -- FEED AMERICA'S FAMILIES ACT WOULD INCREASE FOOD STAMP BENEFIT FOR FIRST TIME IN ELEVEN YEARS: Yesterday, four members of Congress, including Reps. Jim McGovern (D-MA), Jo Ann Emerson (R-MO), Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), and Tim Ryan (D-OH), concluded the Congressional Food Stamp Challenge, in which lawmakers chose to live "on three dollars of food per day, the same amount an average participant in the Food Stamp Program receives." The Challenge was an attempt to raise awareness of the "crucial role the Food Stamp Program serves in the lives of 26 million Americans each month" and to garner support for the Feeding America's Families Act, H.R. 2129. The bill, introduced earlier this month by McGovern and Emerson, would raise "the minimum benefit from 10 dollars a month...to about 30 dollars a month" and "indexes current benefit levels to the rate of inflation." The bill would also restore food stamp "eligibility to all legal immigrants, a provision that was removed in 1996" by the conservative Congress. Ryan explained on his blog just how difficult it was to live on the current average benefit of just $21 of food per day: "[I]t is nearly IMPOSSIBLE to make due on this amount of money. ... Food Stamps are meant to be a supplement to other income...but it has been 11 years since we've added ANY value" to them. Ryan, who broke the rules twice during the challenge, has pledged to atone by volunteering at his local food bank. All of the participants in the challenge chronicled their experiences on the Congressional Food Stamp Challenge Blog. 

ETHICS -- JUSTICE OFFICIALS CONFIRM WHITE HOUSE INSTIGATED PLAN TO BYPASS SENATE ON U.S. ATTORNEY: Both Attorney General Alberto Gonzales and his former chief of staff Kyle Sampson approved a plan to bypass the Senate and install Karl Rove-protege Tim Griffin as U.S. attorney in Arkansas. But private testimony by Sampson reveals that the idea was "instigated" by the White House. According to Karen Tumulty of Time, "Pressure to do it, he suggested, was coming from officials at the White House -- specifically, White House political director Sara Taylor, her deputy Scott Jennings and Chris Oprison, the associate White House counsel. Sampson described himself and Goodling as 'open to the idea,' which is not the same as instigating it." Taylor reports directly to Rove. In a Dec. 19, 2006 e-mail, Sampson said that getting Griffin "appointed was important to Harriet, Karl, etc." Additionally, according to written testimony by Bud Cummins -- the prosecutor Griffin replaced -- Michael Elston, the chief of staff to former Deputy Attorney General Paul J. McNulty, said that the plan to install Griffin and circumvent Senate approval was completely dictated by the White House. Cummins wrote, "Elston denied knowing anything about anyone's intention to circumvent Senate confirmation in Griffin's case. He said that might have been the White House's plan, but they 'never read DOJ into that plan' and DOJ would never go along with it. This indicated to me that my removal had been dictated entirely by the White House." Fortunately, in a 306-114 vote, the House recently passed legislation "that would curb President Bush's power to appoint prosecutors indefinitely," limiting interim U.S. attorneys' terms to 120 days. The Senate has already approved the bill, and it now heads to Bush for his signature.

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NEED COMPUTER ASSISTANCE?? 

Democrat Activist Mike Bailey is now providing “Professional Computer Support.”  He can be contacted at 502-558-4026, or mikebailey2000@usa.net. 

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^  

Think Fast       

Three more military language specialists have been discharged for being gay, and the House Armed Services Committee wants the Pentagon "to explain how it can afford to let the valuable language specialists go."

"Hoping to subdue a rising wave of resistance" within their ranks, House leaders "are set to put their long-stalled lobbying reform package to a vote today."  

Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY) yesterday sent a letter to Defense Secretary Robert Gates "seeking assurances that military leaders had drawn up 'contingency' plans so that American troops could pull out of Iraq without 'unnecessary danger.'"

"The House approved legislation yesterday to upgrade and expand the nation's network of health care and benefit outreach centers for military veterans," one of seven veteran-related bills "that the House approved yesterday to provide millions more dollars in benefits." 

Watchdog group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington has sued the White House "alleging the administration refuses to comply with a public records request related to more than 5 million e-mails from administration officials that have gone missing." 

A conservative journalist falls in love with Mitt Romney's wife. Newsmax's Ronald Kessler writes, "Ann is warm and very natural. She has the look of an outdoors woman bred to be an equestrian, which she is -- good carriage, rosy complexion, square jaw, and blond mane. When she is not flashing her truly unbelievable smile, she may lower her eyes demurely. ... She lowers her eyes, thinking, and then looks up directly at her interviewer and dazzles him with that smile."

Iraq's military is drawing up plans on how to respond if the U.S. military withdraws its forces. "The army plans on the basis of a worst-case scenario so as not to allow any security vacuum," Iraqi Defense Minister Abdul-Qader al-Obeidi said. "There are meetings with political leaders on how we can deal with a sudden pullout."

$3.22 per gallon: The average price for regular unleaded gasoline, matching the record set in 1981. "Gasoline prices have rocketed $1.05 a gallon since the beginning of February and are up 33 cents from a year ago."

Lt. Gen. William Boykin, "who led the Pentagon's effort to hunt down Osama bin Laden and once likened the war on terror to a Christian struggle against Satan," is retiring.

"At least 27 American citizens, including five U.S. servicemen and 22 private businessmen and contractors, are being held hostage by militant groups worldwide. ... Nineteen of the Americans held hostage are in Iraq." 

The New York Times writes, "As more and more workers who inhaled the dust at ground zero fall ill, it has become increasingly clear that much of the problem can be traced to the Giuliani administration's failure to insist that all emergency personnel and construction workers at the site wear respirators."

At least 11 species of butterflies are "making their earliest recorded appearances this spring" in Great Britain, "in what will be seen as the most remarkable demonstration yet of the effects of climate change on Britain's wildlife." A new report also finds that "rates of carbon dioxide emission from industrial sources increased from 2000 to 2004 'at a rate that is over three times the rate during the 1990s.'"

"Despite a grueling pre-recess schedule, Senate Democrats may still press forward with plans to hold an unprecedented no-confidence vote at the end of this week on Attorney General Alberto Gonzales. But a crowded legislative calendar, plus likely opposition from Republicans, could thwart their plans and delay a vote until after Memorial Day."

Even lawmakers need distractions. During a House debate on Thursday, Rep. Ike Skelton (D-MO) was "waxing eloquent" on the "motion to recommit on the defense authorization bill." Sitting right behind Skelton was Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), who nodded off "for several minutes in full view of the cameras." Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) was also caught "signing letters on his official stationery" during yesterday's immigration debate.

"Two intelligence assessments from January 2003 predicted that the overthrow of Saddam Hussein and subsequent U.S. occupation of Iraq could lead to internal violence and provide a boost to Islamic extremists and terrorists in the region." They will be released as part of the "Phase II" Senate report on pre-war intelligence.

In an op-ed, Govs. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R-CA) and Jodi Rell (R-CT) say it "borders on malfeasance" for the Bush administration "to block the efforts" of their states to reduce global warming pollution. "For the last 16 months," the EPA has refused to sign off on state plans to enact tailpipe emissions standards.

Incoming Prime Minister Gordon Brown reportedly plans to cut British troop numbers in Iraq from 7,000 to 2,000 over the next 12 months, and have all troops removed by spring 2008.

"Since the British military began allowing homosexuals to serve in the armed forces in 2000, none of its fears -- about harassment, discord, blackmail, bullying or an erosion of unit cohesion or military effectiveness --- have come to pass. ... The biggest news about the policy, they say, is that there is no news. It has for the most part become a nonissue."

25 percent: The number of Americans who say "things in the U.S. are going in the right direction. ... That is about the lowest level of satisfaction detected since the survey started in December 2003."

"As Iraq's government compiles a record of failure, the Bush administration is under growing pressure to intervene to rearrange Baghdad's dysfunctional political order, or even install a new leadership." Echoing Jim Hoagland, one U.S. official calls it the "eternal temptation for the Americans."

"The average price of self-serve regular gasoline hit a record high of $3.18, rising more than 11 cents over the past two weeks, according to a nationwide survey released Sunday."

"A suicide bomber blew himself up Sunday in a crowded market in eastern Afghanistan, killing 14 people and wounding 31," one day "after a suicide bomber in northern Afghanistan killed three German soldiers and seven bystanders."

"After an initially tepid reception from policymakers, the recommendations of the Iraq Study Group are getting a second look from the White House and Congress, as officials continue to scour for bipartisan solutions to salvage the American engagement in Iraq."

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NTERESTING    

 

Calling the Media: Check into These Front Groups, by Tula Connell 

When organizations have an agenda to push that would appall the American public—like say, encouraging pregnant women to eat mercury-laden tuna—those groups don’t want to present their case straightforwardly. Instead, they form an umbrella coalition with an innocuous-sounding name, something that resounds of apple pie and the American way. That way, their real intent remains hidden.

Several such front groups have formed now in an effort to kill a bill in Congress that would enable working people to improve their wages, health coverage and retirement security. The Employee Free Choice Act, which passed the House in March and now is in the Senate (S. 1041), seeks to level the playing field so workers can form unions without intimidation from employers.

One group, formed last year to spread lies about unions, now also is waging a multimillion dollar campaign to kill the Employee Free Choice Act. The so-called Center for Union Facts is run by Richard Berman, the same PR sleaze man who has operated multiple front groups, websites and think tanks to keep wages low for restaurant workers and block legislation on drunk driving and food safety—including telling pregnant women eating tuna is OK.

Another front group also recently has emerged—with the usual misleadingly all-American name: The Coalition for a Democratic Workplace. The group was formed to defeat the Employee Free Choice Act, which is supported by millions of U.S. workers who see the best way to address the nation’s wage stagnation and income inequality and restore America’s middle class is to have the freedom to bargain for wages and benefits. 

The coalition is made up of organizations that don’t want a level playing field at the workplace, such as the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, which has fought workers and their unions from the time it opened shop, and the National Association of Manufacturers. 

As AFL-CIO Legislative Director Bill Samuel writes today in a column on The Hill:

You’d think that an anti-union business coalition would be laughed out of the room for trying to pretend that its multi-million-dollar lobbying campaign against labor law reform was motivated by a concern for workplace democracy.

But for some reason, inside the Beltway this absurd notion has yet to draw so much as a snicker from the media and political establishment.

Just like the names of these groups are a big lie, so is their message. They want to portray the Employee Free Choice Act as taking away secret-ballot elections to form unions. It doesn’t. What it does, is enable workers to choose whether they want to vote on union representation through the government-supervised ballot process or indicate their support for a union by signing cards, the majority verification process. Many workers prefer the majority verification process because unlike the lengthy government process, it doesn’t allow employers time to intimidate and harass workers to discourage them from voting for a union. Some 25 percent of private-sector employers even threaten to fire workers if they vote for a union. It’s illegal, but who wants to risk losing a job? 

If they didn’t have a sleazy agenda, these groups wouldn’t need to hide. As Samuel writes, these

lobbying groups whose name suggests the exact opposite of what they really stand for…should tell you a lot, right there. It tells you that the people behind these groups are less than proud of what they represent. 

(A good place to keep track of these front groups is at the American Rights at Work network of union-busters here.) 

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National ID Law a Big Brother Nightmare, by James Parks 

Two years ago, congressional Republicans railroaded through legislation to create a massive national ID system, which many say lacks adequate security or privacy safeguards. Now a broad coalition of more than 40 organizations, including the AFL-CIO, is working to repeal the law.

Under the Real ID Act, U.S. residents will need a federally approved ID card to travel on an airplane, open a bank account, collect Social Security payments or take advantage of nearly any government service.

States will be required to check their citizens’ identification papers, and driver’s licenses likely will be reissued to comply with Department of Homeland Security requirements. As a result, opponents say, the law could create a bureaucratic nightmare with long lines, repeat trips and higher fees for individuals trying to get licenses and IDs. The rules go into effect in May 2008.

The problems of a national ID system became more apparent in March when the Department of Homeland Security issued draft Real ID regulations. The rules would require that the home addresses and personal information of drivers be included on their licenses in a two-dimensional barcode without encryption. Retail stores, banks and other businesses could easily access your home address and personal information when they skim your driver’s license. That would make the IDs especially vulnerable to identity theft.

Also, Homeland Security has not ruled out the use of mandatory radio frequency identification tags in the cards, which raises additional privacy concerns because it easily could enable routine tracking of individuals by the government.

Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), who plans to introduce a bill to repeal the law, says Real ID  is a good example of what happens when the federal government imposes itself rather than creating a partnership with states.

The days of Congress rubber-stamping any and every idea cooked up by this administration are over.

Americans deeply value their privacy. Americans have traditionally recognized the danger of an overreaching government. Real ID will effectively create a national ID card.

In addition, Real ID is an unfunded mandate that could cost states more than $23 billion, he added.

Under the Act, states and federal government also would share access to a vast national database that could include images of birth certificates, marriage licenses, divorce papers, court-ordered separations and medical records for more than 240 million Americans with no requirements or controls on how this information might be used.

The database also could contain detailed information on the name, date of birth, race, religion, ethnicity, gender, address, telephone, e-mail address and Social Security numbers for every American.

For more information on the campaign to repeal Real ID, click here and here.

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 Giuliani’s 9/11 Response ‘Deeply Flawed’, by Mike Hall 

Rudy Giuliani, one of the leading Republican presidential candidates, has worked hard to craft an image as a 9/11 hero at the center of New York City’s recovery and rebuilding after the terrorists attacks. 

While Giuliani’s role certainly cannot be discounted, perhaps it is not as extensive or unblemished as his campaign would like us to believe. Today, The New York Timestook a long look at several specific emergency preparedness and 9/11 response incidents that Giuliani’s hand-picked choice to lead the city’s Office of Emergency Management, Jerome M. Hauer, says were quite different from what Giuliani and his campaign depict. 

(Don’t forget the Fire Fighters union (IAFF) was one of the first groups to take Giuliani to task for some his claims and his handling of the city’s preparedness and 9/11 response.) 

The Times writes:

As Rudolph W. Giuliani runs for president, his image as a chief executive who steered New York through the disaster of Sept. 11 has become a pillar of his campaign. But one former member of his inner circle keeps surfacing to revisit that history in ways that are unflattering to Mr. Giuliani: Jerome M. Hauer, New York City’s first emergency management director.

In recent days, Mr. Hauer has challenged Mr. Giuliani’s recollection that he had little role as mayor in placing the city’s emergency command center at the ill-fated World Trade Center….

And he has contradicted Mr. Giuliani’s assertions that the city’s emergency response was well coordinated that day, a point he made most notably to the authors of Grand Illusion, a book that depicts Mr. Giuliani’s anti-terrorism efforts as deeply flawed.

Click here to read the full article and here to read The Times editorial criticizing Giulani’s failure to require Ground Zero rescue and recovery workers to wear respirators to protect them from the dangerous dust and toxins. Click here to learn more about Giuliani and his stand on important working family issues on the AFL-CIO’s site, Working Families Vote 2008.

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