Cheese Sandwich

Cheese Sandwich's Journal

May 15, 2015

Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren Ask Obama To 'Fight For $15' With Executive Power

Source: Huffington Post

WASHINGTON -- The Fight for $15 labor movement has found some high-profile allies in the U.S. Senate, and now they're asking President Barack Obama to get onboard.

In a letter to the White House led by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) on Friday, 18 senators, including Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), asked Obama to issue a "model employer" executive order, which would give contracting preference to firms that pay a living wage, offer health care and sick leave, and guarantee union rights for workers.

"Mr. President, the stroke of your pen can have transformative impact for millions of workers," the letter states. "As low-wage fast food, retail and federal contract workers continue to strike in growing numbers to 'Fight for $15 and a Union,' we urge you to harness the power of the presidency to help these workers achieve the American Dream."

The letter notes that the president has held up for-profit companies like Costco as high-road employers, so the federal government itself should "invest our taxpayer dollars to incentivize model employers that commit to creating good jobs and to rebuilding America's ailing middle class."
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Read more: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/05/15/elizabeth-warren-fight-for-15_n_7292142.html

May 15, 2015

Bernie leads the way: Senators press Obama on wages and benefits for federal contract workers

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Article in Huffington Post: Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren Ask Obama To 'Fight For $15' With Executive Power

May 14, 2015

Sanders hires coordinator in Iowa

The Sanders campaign said Thursday it has brought on Pete D'Alessandro to be its coordinator.

D'Alessandro, who is from Des Moines, has worked with Democratic candidates in the state for 20 years, including as the political director for former Iowa Gov. Chet Culver.

Sanders announced last month that he would run for president, and he is planning a three-day swing to the first-in-the-nation caucus state at the end of the month, after his May 26 kickoff in Vermont.

D'Alessandro said Thursday that he has been retained to put a team together in Iowa, from the state director level to field staffers. He said he also would be helping Sanders with visits to the state and putting him in touch with people.

D'Alessandro said that he has heard from people who want to work for the campaign and that he was impressed with Sanders' foresight on issues such as the rights of gays and lesbians to marry and opposing the Patriot Act and the Iraq War.

more: http://qctimes.com/news/local/government-and-politics/elections/sanders-hires-coordinator-in-iowa/article_19e9344b-58a0-52d1-8dd9-4256e204bf1b.html

May 14, 2015

Bernie Sanders to make weekend trip across Iowa

Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders will make a three-day run through the state later this month to speak with Iowans about their concerns, while also addressing long-standing platform issues such as income inequality, global warming and supporting the middle class.

"He's done hundreds of town meetings in Vermont and he's doing many of them in Iowa now," said Michael Briggs, communications director for the campaign.

In late April, the U.S. senator from Vermont announced he was running for president. He's already made several trips to Iowa during this year's caucus season.

Click for schedule: http://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/politics/2015/05/14/sanders-visits-iowa-muscatine-davenport-iowa-city/27314349/

May 14, 2015

Senate Votes to Advance Fast-Track Trade Bill

Source: Roll Call

Updated 3:52 p.m. | President Barack Obama’s fast-track trade bill is officially back on track in the Senate, after easily topping the 60-vote threshold needed to overcome a filibuster and open debate.

The trade bill will face amendment votes next week and possibly continue beyond the Memorial Day recess.

The 65-33 vote came after Senate Democrats filibustered the bill Tuesday, spurring a furious salvage operation from the president and Senate leaders. Before moving to the bill Thursday, the Senate passed two other trade measures, including one with currency enforcement measures backed by Sen. Charles E. Schumer, D-N.Y., opposed by the White House and likely headed for a spot in Speaker John A. Boehner’s circular file. The Ohio Republican called the idea “almost laughable.”

The agreement to move those other bills separately — an idea proposed by Schumer — cleared the way for pro-trade Democrats to climb back onboard the trade bandwagon.

Read more: http://blogs.rollcall.com/wgdb/senate-roll-call-vote-to-advance-fast-track-trade-bill/?dcz=

May 14, 2015

Schumer at Center of Trade Compromise

Schumer all along — both in committee and at the microphones Tuesday — said his goal was not to use his currency proposal as a poison pill to kill fast track, which is why he offered it as an amendment to the separate customs bill last month.

That had an incredulous Majority Leader Mitch McConnell repeatedly quoting Schumer to rebuff a push by some Democrats to package all four bills together, a move the Kentucky Republican said would kill the underlying measure and turn it into veto bait.

The deal offered by Schumer at the microphones Tuesday — votes on all of the bills — is ultimately what McConnell accepted Wednesday.

“Democrats are not going to go … down this path without assurances from Sen. McConnell that we are going to get opportunities to vote on all of these bills,” Schumer said Tuesday.
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more: http://blogs.rollcall.com/wgdb/schumer-at-center-of-democrats-trade-drama/

Let us recall this conversation about Mr. Schumer one week ago:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=6634741

May 14, 2015