Welcome to DU!
The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards.
Join the community:
Create a free account
Support DU (and get rid of ads!):
Become a Star Member
Latest Breaking News
General Discussion
The DU Lounge
All Forums
Issue Forums
Culture Forums
Alliance Forums
Region Forums
Support Forums
Help & Search
Lucy Goosey
Lucy Goosey's Journal
Lucy Goosey's Journal
October 15, 2012
Read more: http://www.montrealgazette.com/business/Canadian+Auto+Workers+vote+favour+super+union/7391467/story.html#ixzz29Obrpm54
Canadian Auto Workers, CEP vote in favour of super-union
Canadian Auto Workers and the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union vote in favour of super-union: Move will create the country’s largest private-sector union, representing 300,000 workers across 20 economic sectors
Most of the membership would be concentrated in manufacturing, communications and transportation. But the new entity would also represent some public sector employees working in health, education and transit roles.
Unions represent some 30 per cent of the Canadian workforce, according to the CAW, well above levels in the United States.
A 16-member committee of representatives from both unions unanimously urged the organizations to formally merge by 2013.
Key players have said the two groups must join forces in order to ensure protection for existing members and inject some life back into the national labour movement.
Unions represent some 30 per cent of the Canadian workforce, according to the CAW, well above levels in the United States.
A 16-member committee of representatives from both unions unanimously urged the organizations to formally merge by 2013.
Key players have said the two groups must join forces in order to ensure protection for existing members and inject some life back into the national labour movement.
Read more: http://www.montrealgazette.com/business/Canadian+Auto+Workers+vote+favour+super+union/7391467/story.html#ixzz29Obrpm54
October 12, 2012
From http://mansplainingryan.tumblr.com/ where there are many, many more funny takes on this - I knew these shots of Ryan would spawn a million memes!
'Mansplaining' Paul Ryan - Funny!
From http://mansplainingryan.tumblr.com/ where there are many, many more funny takes on this - I knew these shots of Ryan would spawn a million memes!
October 12, 2012
FWIW, Ryan is completely wrong about Canadian corporate tax...
The 15% tax rate is FEDERAL TAX ONLY - each province has an additional tax, and those range from 10% to 16%. No corporation is paying only 15%.
October 9, 2012
Israel's Netanyahu calls early elections
Source: The Globe and Mail
Israel's prime minister on Tuesday ordered new parliamentary elections in early 2013, roughly eight months ahead of schedule, setting the stage for a lightening quick campaign that will likely win him re-election.
For nearly four years, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has presided over a conservative coalition that has proven stable in a country where governments rarely serve out a full term. Re-election could grant him a fresh mandate to continue his tough stance toward Iran's suspect nuclear program, put the already deadlocked peace process with the Palestinians further into deep freeze and complicate relations with the U.S. if President Barack Obama is re-elected.
In a nationally televised address, Mr. Netanyahu said he was forced to call the snap polls after his coalition could not agree on a budget.
Read more: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/israels-netanyahu-calls-early-elections/article4598474/
October 9, 2012
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-250_162-57528733/romney-campaign-moves-staff-out-of-pennsylvania/
Romney campaign moves staff out of Pennsylvania to help GOTV in Ohio
The campaign is not entirely pulling out of Pennsylvania, however, contrary to reports suggesting otherwise. Neither is the Republican National Committee or their "Victory" operation. Between the campaign and the national party, there are 24 offices in Pennsylvania, and 40 in Ohio.
By contrast, President Obama's campaign has 45 offices in Pennsylvania, and 120 in Ohio.
By contrast, President Obama's campaign has 45 offices in Pennsylvania, and 120 in Ohio.
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-250_162-57528733/romney-campaign-moves-staff-out-of-pennsylvania/
September 27, 2012
This is good news - the defeated motion was about redefining when human life begins in murder laws in Canada's Criminal Code, and it was proposed by an (old man) Member of Parliament who admits that he believes a fertilised egg should be legally considered a person, so I'm obviously happy to see it defeated. I'm glad the Prime Minister kept his promise to vote against the motion, but he should have forced his cabinet to vote with him - he ran on a promise not to re-open the abortion debate; he should have kept his government in line on this one. I'm also really disappointer that four Liberal Party members voted in favour.
My "favourite" little nugget from this story is that the Minister for the Status of Women, the "Honourable" Rona Ambrose, voted in favour of the motion. Asshat.
Read more: http://www.timescolonist.com/news/Abortion+debate+divides+federal+Tories/7306916/story.html#ixzz27fkH0QtU
Anti-abortion motion fails in Canadian Parliament
Prime Minister Stephen Harper's Conservative MPs have been left seriously divided over the issue of abortion after a controversial motion was defeated in the House of Commons on Wednesday evening.
By a vote of 203 to 91, MPs defeated the motion by Conservative MP Stephen Woodworth instructing parliamentarians to study whether a fetus is a human being.
But in a surprise development, the vote revealed the deep split among Tory MPs over the issue. Eighty-seven of the 163 Tory MPs supported the motion.
And although Harper, whose critics had accused him of having a hidden agenda to re-criminalize abortion, had said he opposed the motion, many of his cabinet ministers did not take his cue by voting with him.
By a vote of 203 to 91, MPs defeated the motion by Conservative MP Stephen Woodworth instructing parliamentarians to study whether a fetus is a human being.
But in a surprise development, the vote revealed the deep split among Tory MPs over the issue. Eighty-seven of the 163 Tory MPs supported the motion.
And although Harper, whose critics had accused him of having a hidden agenda to re-criminalize abortion, had said he opposed the motion, many of his cabinet ministers did not take his cue by voting with him.
This is good news - the defeated motion was about redefining when human life begins in murder laws in Canada's Criminal Code, and it was proposed by an (old man) Member of Parliament who admits that he believes a fertilised egg should be legally considered a person, so I'm obviously happy to see it defeated. I'm glad the Prime Minister kept his promise to vote against the motion, but he should have forced his cabinet to vote with him - he ran on a promise not to re-open the abortion debate; he should have kept his government in line on this one. I'm also really disappointer that four Liberal Party members voted in favour.
My "favourite" little nugget from this story is that the Minister for the Status of Women, the "Honourable" Rona Ambrose, voted in favour of the motion. Asshat.
Read more: http://www.timescolonist.com/news/Abortion+debate+divides+federal+Tories/7306916/story.html#ixzz27fkH0QtU
September 25, 2012
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/1261875--parliamentary-budget-officer-kevin-page-may-take-government-to-court
Parliamentary Budget Officer Kevin Page May Take Government to Court
OTTAWA—Budget watchdog Kevin Page may take the Harper government to court now that federal officials have turned down Page’s latest request for more information on how spending cuts will impact Canadians.
The government has already “shared extensive data with you on Budget 2012,” Wayne Wouters, the clerk of the Privy Council, says in his latest letter to Page, the Parliamentary Budget Officer (PBO).
Page is engaged in tug of war with Wouters, who heads the government department that serves Prime Minister Stephen Harper, over how much information the government is willing to disclose on spending cuts in the budget.
While the government insists it is rolling out details on job cuts and changes in federal programs in keeping with normal parliamentary practices, Page says the Conservatives are holding back information, with the result that Members of Parliament will be voting on the budget before they know its full impact.
The government has already “shared extensive data with you on Budget 2012,” Wayne Wouters, the clerk of the Privy Council, says in his latest letter to Page, the Parliamentary Budget Officer (PBO).
Page is engaged in tug of war with Wouters, who heads the government department that serves Prime Minister Stephen Harper, over how much information the government is willing to disclose on spending cuts in the budget.
While the government insists it is rolling out details on job cuts and changes in federal programs in keeping with normal parliamentary practices, Page says the Conservatives are holding back information, with the result that Members of Parliament will be voting on the budget before they know its full impact.
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/1261875--parliamentary-budget-officer-kevin-page-may-take-government-to-court
September 25, 2012
I wonder if this story has legs? I really, really strongly dislike Josh Mandel. I don't know much about him, but I have a sort of visceral negative reaction to him. Plus I think Sherrod Brown is awesome, and I feel like this little twerp is in no way Brown's equal.
http://www.salon.com/2012/09/24/did_gop_senate_hopeful_bilk_treasury/
Did Ohio GOP Senate hopeful bilk treasury?
As the presidential candidates make tax policy personal, the same thing is happening in Ohio, where Sen. Sherrod Brown’s campaign is accusing his Republican challenger, Josh Mandel, of bilking the same state treasury he runs. As Mandel ran for state treasurer in 2010, he classified at least nine of his senior staffers as independent contractors instead of full-time employees, according to campaign finance disclosures reviewed by Salon, which allowed him to forgo paying some taxes to the state and the IRS.
Classifying workers as contractors instead of employees gives employers more flexibility and lower costs, as there’s no legal requirement for them to provide health benefits or withhold payroll (Social Security) and Medicare taxes. Contractors are supposed to have their own businesses and provide discrete skills, but that norm is often abused by employers who fill positions at lower costs that should be occupied by full-time employees. Employment law prohibits misclassification, and employers who engage in it with “no reasonable basis for doing so … may be held liable for employment taxes for that worker,” according to the IRS.
Classifying workers as contractors instead of employees gives employers more flexibility and lower costs, as there’s no legal requirement for them to provide health benefits or withhold payroll (Social Security) and Medicare taxes. Contractors are supposed to have their own businesses and provide discrete skills, but that norm is often abused by employers who fill positions at lower costs that should be occupied by full-time employees. Employment law prohibits misclassification, and employers who engage in it with “no reasonable basis for doing so … may be held liable for employment taxes for that worker,” according to the IRS.
I wonder if this story has legs? I really, really strongly dislike Josh Mandel. I don't know much about him, but I have a sort of visceral negative reaction to him. Plus I think Sherrod Brown is awesome, and I feel like this little twerp is in no way Brown's equal.
http://www.salon.com/2012/09/24/did_gop_senate_hopeful_bilk_treasury/
September 24, 2012
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/housing-homeless-cheaper-more-effective-than-status-quo-study/article4563718/
If only elected officials would take this sort of thing and run with it.
Housing homeless cheaper, more effective than status quo: study
A new study says there’s a consensus forming on how to fix one of the most stubborn social problems: homelessness. The study by Stephen Gaetz, director of the Canadian Homelessness Research Network, pulls together research from across Canada and the United States, which suggests it’s far cheaper to give a homeless person a place to live than to provide a patchwork of emergency services.
Mr. Gaetz says governments spend at least $4.5-billion a year dealing with homeless people, including the costs of emergency health care, mental-health services, law enforcement, shelters and food banks.
That’s because their use of the health system is high and unpredictable, because they often have run-ins with the law and because upon release from jail, they often end up homeless again.
Recent research done through the Mental Health Commission of Canada shows that providing support and housing to chronically homeless people can save taxpayers 54 cents on the dollar compared with the current approach.
Mr. Gaetz says governments spend at least $4.5-billion a year dealing with homeless people, including the costs of emergency health care, mental-health services, law enforcement, shelters and food banks.
That’s because their use of the health system is high and unpredictable, because they often have run-ins with the law and because upon release from jail, they often end up homeless again.
Recent research done through the Mental Health Commission of Canada shows that providing support and housing to chronically homeless people can save taxpayers 54 cents on the dollar compared with the current approach.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/housing-homeless-cheaper-more-effective-than-status-quo-study/article4563718/
If only elected officials would take this sort of thing and run with it.
September 20, 2012
Looks good - I'd love to see this happening in more states.
From The Detroit News: http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20120919/POLITICS01/209190472#ixzz272aPZHZ3
Fueled by women voters, Obama widens lead in Michigan
Romney made a concerted pitch to women voters during the national GOP convention in Tampa, Fla., and Obama did the same at the Democratic convention in Charlotte, N.C. Both campaigns feature women prominently as surrogates or supporters at campaign stops. But poll results suggest the Democrats' convention lineup that focused heavily on women's health, and the federal auto rescue of General Motors and Chrysler resonated with independent females here. About 29 percent of Michigan women call themselves Republican, but women identifying themselves as Democrats shot up from 43 percent in August to 55 percent this month.
"Women … made a drastic move to the Democratic Party," said pollster Richard Czuba of Glengariff Group, Inc., which conducted the poll.
That shift gives Obama a dominating 20-point advantage over Romney among women compared to an 11-point lead in August. Obama also has improved from a near tie with Romney among men last month to an eight-point advantage this month.
"In 28 years of polling in Michigan, I don't think I've seen a gender gap this large before in Michigan," Czuba said. "… If women stay this strong for Democrats, there will be problems for Republicans all down the ballot."
"Women … made a drastic move to the Democratic Party," said pollster Richard Czuba of Glengariff Group, Inc., which conducted the poll.
That shift gives Obama a dominating 20-point advantage over Romney among women compared to an 11-point lead in August. Obama also has improved from a near tie with Romney among men last month to an eight-point advantage this month.
"In 28 years of polling in Michigan, I don't think I've seen a gender gap this large before in Michigan," Czuba said. "… If women stay this strong for Democrats, there will be problems for Republicans all down the ballot."
Looks good - I'd love to see this happening in more states.
From The Detroit News: http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20120919/POLITICS01/209190472#ixzz272aPZHZ3
Profile Information
Gender: FemaleHome country: Canada
Member since: Thu Jan 17, 2008, 01:27 PM
Number of posts: 2,940
