Take Action: Internet Access Denied? FactCheck.org

Q: Is Obama seeking power to "disconnect your computer, shut down your favorite websites, or block your email"? A: A Senate bill would allow the president to restrict access to government or "critical infrastructure" networks in case of a "cybersecurity emergency." But it has bipartisan support, and even critics admit it would not allow him to shut down all private Internet traffic.

The Obama Phone? FactCheck.org

Q: Has the Obama administration started a program to use "taxpayer money" to give free cell phones to welfare recipients? A: No. Low-income households have been eligible for discounted telephone service for more than a decade. But the program is funded by telecom companies, not by taxes, and the president has nothing to do with it.

Take Action: Real Health Care Reform Now!

Nothing communicates better to a member of Congress than a short personal letter from a constituent. Mention that you are counting on your member of Congress to represent you and so many others who want and need health care reform.

House health-care reform bill includes public option, Medicaid expansion - House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) unveiled a health-care reform bill Thursday that includes a government insurance option and a historic expansion of Medicaid, although sticking points involving abortion and immigration remain unresolved.

Sorry Deniers, There's No Such Thing as 'Global Cooling' Environment AlterNet

The latest plot by some global warming deniers is to push a bogus 'theory' that the earth is actually cooling, instead of warming. But the AP's Seth Borenstein took the hot air out of their sails.

Lieberman: Sure, I'd Filibuster A Health Care Reform Bill With A Public Option Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT) told reporters today that he would in fact filibuster any health care bill he doesn't agree with--and right now, he doesn't agree with the public option proposal making its way through the Senate

Why :Health Care Reform
When: Saturday, August 29th – 1:00 PM
Where: Downtown Orlando Rec. Center, 649 W. Livingston Street
Nationally recognized speakers to be announced.

Reforming Health Insurance (not Healthcare)
Both the Washington Post and the New York Times report that the Obama administration is signaling a new willingness to jettison the public plan element of healthcare reform legislation. Jonathan Cohn at The Treatment questions whether anything’s really changed, though, because Obama has consistently praised the public option as a good idea without insisting that it be included in the final bill.
Kosmas schedules tele-town hall for Wednesday night
U.S. Rep. Suzanne Kosmas, D-New Smyrna Beach, has scheduled a tele-town hall meeting for Wednesday, Aug. 19th, from 6:20 p.m. to 7:20 p.m., to talk about health insurance reform. Constituents who want to listen in should call her office at 407-208-1106 and register their phone number to ensure that they are contacted to participate on Wednesday evening.
Grayson Pledges Town Hall Rd. 2 Before Final Health Care Vote
Moments after U.S. Rep. Alan Grayson, D-Orlando, wrapped up his first town hall meeting on health care issues Monday night -- one that Democrats held most of the seats to -- the freshman congressman vowed to hold another one.
How the Democrats sold out health care reform
THE RAUCOUS right-wing protesters who have stormed congressional town hall meetings have thrust the debate over health care reform into the 24-hour news cycle. As a result, the effort to overhaul the U.S.'s broken health care system has become bogged down in a surreal discussion about "death panels," forced euthanasia and Big Brother government.
Obama's healthcare gap: Persistent
The vocal few standing up at summer "town hall'' meetings with complaints about the president's proposed healthcare reforms aren't the only ones with concerns, polling shows.

Will the health care bosses get their way?
WARNING: THE federal government is poised to commit robbery. And the poor, defenseless victim is...the health insurance industry.

- A Win for Bank Customers - In the Bush years, federal regulators not only failed to protect borrowers, they aggressively prevented the states from doing it. New York’s attorney general sued, challenging the regulators’ interference. This week, the Supreme Court ruled that federal regulators cannot prevent the states from enforcing consumer protection and fair lending laws against national banks.

What’s So Super About a Supermajority? -
WASHINGTON — Senate Democrats are about to reach the magical threshold of 60 votes, allowing them in theory to sweep aside Republican delaying tactics. But the arrival of that 60th vote, in the person of Al Franken of Minnesota, is not likely to make the party’s very real difficulties in advancing contentious legislation disappear.

Stimulus or Not, States Are Cutting Summer School
COCOA, Fla. — A year ago, the Brevard County Schools ran a robust summer program here, with dozens of schools bustling with teachers and some 14,000 children practicing multiplication, reading Harry Potter and studying Spanish verbs, all at no cost to parents

The Case for Working With Your Hands http://tiny.cc/workhand
The television show “Deadliest Catch” depicts commercial crab fishermen in the Bering Sea. Another, “Dirty Jobs,” shows all kinds of grueling work; one episode featured a guy who inseminates turkeys for a living.
Should Employers Be Required To Give Paid Sick Days? http://tiny.cc/sickdays
Is paid sick leave unhealthy for small businesses?
Take Action Organizing for America Event Canaveral Groves Health Care Event http://tiny.cc/obamaevent
Time: Saturday, June 6 from 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM Host: Jo Shim Contact Phone: 321-636-4493 Location: 4010 Dakota Ave. (Cocoa, FL) Cocoa, FL 32926
Join OFA at Health Care Organizing Events http://tiny.cc/healthcareevent
Real health care reform: It's happening and it's happening now. Find an Organizing for America Health Care Kickoff Event near you:
Make or break time for health reform: Obama http://tiny.cc/healthcarereform
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama stepped up efforts to build public support for a broad revamp of U.S. healthcare on Tuesday, saying the country could no longer afford the soaring costs of the current system that leaves millions without medical coverage
Is Employee Free Choice dead? http://tiny.cc/EFCAdead
THE FIGHT for the Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA) appears to be stumbling, with Corporate America increasingly confident that it will defeat the most "controversial" parts of the pro-union legislation.
Chinese Company Buying G.M.’s Hummer Brand http://tiny.cc/Chinahummer
General Motors has reached a preliminary agreement for the sale of its Hummer brand of large sport utility vehicles and pickup trucks to a machinery company in western China with ambitions to become a carmaker.
Newspapers want U.S. help, not bailout http://tiny.cc/newsbail
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Many U.S. companies consider lobbying the government just another cost of doing business. When newspapers want help from Uncle Sam, the cost could be their reputation
Budget cuts shrink size of summer school http://tiny.cc/budgetedu
Summer school begins today, but only a small number of students will benefit from the extra help this year tags education,budget
Is Slam in Danger of Going Soft? http://tiny.cc/slampoem
CHICAGO — Slam poetry was invited into the White House last month and it is also the focus of the recent HBO documentary series “Brave New Voices.” So you might think that the originator of the poetry slam, a raucous live competition that is more likely to take place in a bar than in a bookstore, would be feeling rather pleased these days.
Is a $9 Flight Too Good to Be True? http://tiny.cc/9dolflight
How does a $9 flight sound to you? Sounds good to me, too -- and starting July 13 -- when JetAmerica takes off, every one of its flights will have nine seats for $9. Tags,airlines, travel

Media has heaviest drinkers, poll finds
Media workers are the heaviest drinking professionals in England, consuming the equivalent of more than four bottles of wine or more than 19 pints of beer a week, according to government research.
The Future of Manufacturing, GM, and American Workers (Part I)
What's the Administration's specific aim in bailing out GM? I'll give you my theory later. For now, though, some background. First and most broadly, it doesn't make sense for America to try to maintain or enlarge manufacturing as a portion of the economy.
Developers feed off agriculture tax breaks
Few would doubt that the 79-acre rectangle of land along Palm Bay Road in West Melbourne is valuable property. For list of benefactors @ http://www.floridatoday.com/assets/pdf/A990560113.PDF
2 Democrats Spearheading Health Bill Are Split
WASHINGTON — A significant split has developed between the two Democratic senators leading efforts to remake the nation’s health care system. They disagree over the contours of a public health insurance plan, the most explosive issue in the debate.

Media has heaviest drinkers, poll finds
The Future of Manufacturing, GM, and American Workers (Part I)
Developers feed off agriculture tax breaks
2 Democrats Spearheading Health Bill Are Split
Visit http://fl.aflcio.org/spacecoastclc for more union and labor news

News 13 Dec 2008

Is Senate GOP trying to break union?
There's a lot of suspicion in Washington and throughout the nation that Senate Republicans who thwarted the auto bailout last night were operating from a range of motives, including a desire for payback against the United Auto Workers, Read more....

Administration changes to farm worker hiring afoot
WASHINGTON (AP) — As it prepares to leave office, the Bush administration is moving to make it easier for U.S. farming companies to hire foreign field workers, which farmworker groups say will worsen wages and working conditions. Read more....

Take Action: Ask President-Elect Obama not to let the outgoing Bush Admin Steal Farm Worker Protections

NASA's Griffin and Obama team square off
CAPE CANAVERAL - NASA Administrator Mike Griffin is not cooperating with President-elect Barack Obama's transition team, is obstructing its efforts to get get information and has told its leader that she is "not qualified" to judge his rocket program, the Orlando Sentinel has learned. Read more...

Health care town hall meeting
President-elect Obama has made it clear that health care reform is one of his top priorities. That's why the Obama-Biden Transition is asking people to give their own thoughts and ideas for how to fix the system at Health Care Community Discussions all across the country.
Melbourne Public Library Meeting Room
530 Fee Avenue Melbourne, FL
Monday, December 29^th , 20087:00 PM
For further information please call my office.321-674-9220