Posted on 06/20/2005 9:16:34 PM PDT by FairOpinion
Until now, Ways and Means Chairman Bill Thomas (R-Calif.) appeared to have more than enough votes to draft broad retirement security legislation that included some variation of Bush's efforts to create private accounts funded through Social Security taxes.
But Americans United to Protect Social Security -- a coalition of labor and liberal groups -- identified the committee as an opportunity to "administer the coup de grace" on Bush's approach, according to a PowerPoint presentation by the coalition.
The document identifies eight Republican targets to win over before Thomas completes work on the measure in committee. Labor and liberal activists plan to stage "summer fests," town meetings, district office vigils and leafleting to pressure Republican Reps. E. Clay Shaw Jr. and Mark Foley (Fla.), Nancy L. Johnson (Conn.), Chris Chocola (Ind.), Bob Beauprez (Colo.), Jim Nussle (Iowa), Phil English (Pa.) and Jim Ramstad (Minn.).
"We have them on the run," the document declares.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
One good news:
"With a 24 to 17 Republican advantage, Thomas has ruled his committee with an iron fist, moving bills through the panel with little or no Democratic support and the full backing of his party."
I hope Thomas will continue to keep reigning in the Republicans, not allowing them to fall for the Dem lies.
Democrats are going to attempt to hang the Republicans on the SS issue no matter if they actually do something about it or not. So the Republicans might as well do the right thing and pass something.
Thomas is the best hope of getting PA's included in the package. he's the one that devised how to get all of Bush's tax cuts despite RINO's in the Senate demanding a cap at 350. he did so by sunseting taxes, conveniently in election years where they will have to vote to hike or keep the tax cutes in place.
The House WAS giving some grief in the beginning about doing anything at all, it appears they've come around if they are working on their inclusion. We know without House support it won't happen. The senate certainly cannot be counted on.
I wish these "groups" would use more correct and appropriate names. These Commies and union thugs should be calling themselves Communists for the Destruction of Social Security.
These Commies and union thugs should be calling themselves Communists for the Destruction of America.
Hey - Hey - lighten-up, pally - this is my turf!!
how ya been, bot? Good to see ya..............FRegards
Sorry, didn't see the sign. :-) I'll be sneakier next time.
heh heh. always good to see union bashing.
For more on how unions are bankrupting american companies check out:
http://www.neoperspectives.com/unions.htm
Nearly all lobbying and payoffs to politicians are for the purpose of artificially distorting the market. I guess that is a redundancy, better said as forcefully distorting the free market. Whether it is big government passing laws that restrict the freedom of citizens or behind the scenes operations like labor unions which restrict the freedom of the market it all results in the same thing - loss of freedom. This country and all successful countries in the future must maximize the free part of freedom and free enterprise.
As R. Buckminster Fuller said, "Free enterprise has the unique ability to transform the selfish desires of the individual into the good of the whole."
Ping to #8.
Aren't union dues, as well as other things like the "poverty level" based on the minimum wage in some way?
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The reason the Unions want the minimum wage to go up is so that their competitors will have an increase in labor cost, making them less competitive than the union in bidding for projects. Even so, Unions primarily get government contracts and they then donate to politicians who make it happen (cuz their wages are so high to (generally) make them uncompetitive on the private market). This is also why they are bankrupting our companies like GM and Ford.
Unions couldn't exist except that during the 30s in the socialist revolution, laws were passed that enabled them to take control of businesses. Before that, the person WHO OWNED the business could fire whoever he wanted whenever he wanted - as it should be. Hopefully he will return to that someday...
I have sold to government agencies and defense contractors and became aware that many defense contracts, maybe all of them, stated that wages must be based on the union scale. That meant that even non union members had to be paid as if they were. That validates even more the principal you state about the minimum wage.
wow. that is amazing. So much for 'bidding for a contract'. Sounds like there is hidden legislation somewhere that pretty much ensures unions get the contracts. So the 'Union wage' is whatever the union says it is. geez.
What a bunch of parisites. The worst part is that when the companies they work for go bankrupt, there is this pension guarantee corporation, or whatever its called, created by a bunch of porkbarrling thieving congressmen that 'cover' the bloated union pensions, with unknown, but probably small, reductions.
They steal from the people that hire them and then go on to rob the rest of us. Parasites.
Rich elitist snobs who don't want ordinary Americans to have their own personal retirement accounts.
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