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Ohio Voters Deal Right-Wing Extremist Koch Brothers a Humiliating Blow

After watching the Koch-funded farce in Wisconsin earlier this year, Ohio voters screamed “hell no” against their statehouse Republican’s attack to limit collective bargaining abilities of 350,000 unionized workers.  The vote is a solid rejection of the nationwide attempt by the infamous Koch Brothers (not of Ohio) to bust unions.

According to reports from the Associated Press, Ohio voters rejected Issue 2, an effort to turn back the Senate Bill 5, the bargaining law that would have dealt a blow to government employees including firefighters.

Republican Gov. John Kasich has made SB 5 the centerpiece of his administration, but nearly one third of Republicans polled stood up and said that this bill goes too far. This isn’t about partisan ideology. The battle here isn’t Republicans versus Democrats. This is about a large swath of our society that has been squeezed in a vice of greed.

We Are Ohio, the union-backed coalition opposing the law, had significant leads in both fundraising and polls heading into Election Day, building off anger over the bill that prompted days of Statehouse protests earlier this year.

Just more proof that the voice of the people is worth far more than the millions of dollars pumped in by outside extremists. 

Congratulations, Ohio.  You showed them!

Stay stoked!

-J

Posted in News

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Posted by on November 8, 2011 • No comments

7-minute abs

Over 10,000 public safety workers are rallying at this moment at the Trenton Statehouse in yet another unprecedented effort to get their message out to New Jersey’s Governor.

In a report by Fox 29′s Katy Zachry, thousands of current and retired police and firefighters are trying to get the message out that New Jersey “is a much less safe place to live and work.”

12,000 Police, Firefighters Rally In NJ: MyFoxPHILLY.com

It’s yet another in the unexpected push back from those who have been the latest targets of elected officials looking for an answer to the econmic issues affecting us all.

Governor Christie, possibly considering a run for the leader of the Free World, has put forth a plan that would layoff even more workers and require those remaining to pay upwards of 30% toward their health insurance.

This coming just one day after the governor said he loves collective bargaining and he is ready to start negotiation with the state worker unions, the contracts for which are up in June.

Throughout America in previous years, major mismanagement of funds and raiding of pension coffers were the political answers needed to solve short-term financial headaches while at the same time getting re-elected to legislative positions at all levels.

As these actions are becoming more transparent, the local and state taxpayers are finally able to see the legislative shenanigans that have put them into the predicament now facing them.

National polling has surprised more than a few who thought the effort to end collective bargaining and further trash public pensions would be a cakewalk.

According to a Gallup Poll released last week, Americans strongly oppose laws taking away the collective bargaining power of public employee unions.  The poll found 61% would oppose a law in their state similar to such a proposal in Wisconsin, compared with 33% who would favor such a law.

Unsurprisingly, Fox News originally “mis-represented” <cough> the statistics by reversing the polling data in their fair and balanced reporting, feeding their viewers data that 61% favored gutting collective bargaining.  And so it goes at Fox…

Other key results from that Gallup Poll:

— 71% oppose increasing sales, income or other taxes while 27% are in favor that approach.

— 53% oppose reducing pay or benefits for government workers while 44% are in favor.

— 48% opposed reducing or eliminating government programs while 47% were in favor of cuts.

Other polls are showing the same data.  In a CBS News poll, Fully 61 percent of those polled — including just over half of Republicans — said they thought the salaries and benefits of most public employees were either “about right” or “too low” for the work they do.

Credit CBS News

I’m imagining the reaction to this data by my vocal minority Tea Party Patriot friends and the closed-minded few who are instructed to see only one answer to the fiscal crisis- kill collective bargaining and gut the pensions.

The first thing that came to mind was the great hitchhiker scene from “There’s Something About Mary.”  At about the 1:00 mark in the video below, Harland Williams gives what I think to be that Tea Party reaction.

Its about time we’re hearing the other patriots standing up for what they think is right.  To the governors in Wisconsin, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Florida, New Jersey, and all across the nation, the sleeping giant has been roused.

Your cakewalk is over.

Stay stoked!
-J

Posted in Brotherhood, Funding & Staffing, News, Staffing, Videos

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Posted by on March 3, 2011 • No comments

Whoa! What Did THESE Council Members Say?

Minds are like parachutes. Just because you've lost yours doesn't mean you can borrow mine.

As we trudge through the muck of crap we’ve been hearing from Oakbrook, Illinois, Xenia, Ohio, and Obion County in Tennessee, I have become weary, incredulous, and frankly- pissed off.

You’ll understand then, how ecstatic I was when this video was forward me.

It’s from a Village Board meeting in a neighboring town of mine- Palatine, Illinois. Firefighters stepped up and shared with those who hold the purse strings the reality of operating as a firefighter and paramedic in their local community. As these council members fervently extol, their eyes were opened.

Palatine Council Meeting Clip 10-4-10 from AFFIVideo on Vimeo.

It’s a welcome breath of fresh air when I needed one most. The video gives us hope that sanity still exists despite the slop we’ve been enduring.

It worked in Palatine. I wonder if we can make this work elsewhere?

Hmmm.

Stay stoked!
-J

Posted in Administration & Leadership, AFFI, Change, Chicagoland, Firefighters, Funding & Staffing, IAFF, News, Pub Ed, Staffing, Videos

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Posted by on October 8, 2010 • 1 comment

There. We admitted it. So what?

Grand Rapids (MI) has been hit hard once again.  The city has decided to layoff 44 policeman, 25 firefighters, and dozens of other public sector jobs.

That’s scary.

2 complete fire companies will be nixxed.  Response times will go up.  Citizens and firefighters will be less safe and more prone to injury and worse.

It’s a broken record; a scene played out daily across the United States.

In Milwaukee last month, hundreds of firefighters jammed the city council budget meeting openly denouncing the effort to cut public safety funding.

One firefighter asked the council “how much are you willing to pay to have me pull you out of your burning home?”

When these scenes arise, they make for good TV, and the Milwaukee media covered them like a blanket.

These protests are seen all over the nation, with firefighters demanding politicians to admit that the level of public safety will be reduced due to the cuts.

Usually, the pols insist the city can do just fine, hissing “we will get through this, (insert city name here) will emerge stronger and better than ever!”  We all know it’s a “less than truthful” response.

With less people serving the public safety, the level of service declines.  You just can’t argue that.  But they do.

However, we seem to have turned a corner today with the announcement of the massive slice ‘n dice scheduled for Grand Rapids just after Christmas.

City Manager Greg Sundstrom  conceded the cuts “bring our staffing levels to dangerously low levels.”

“Dangerously low levels.”

Finally, a public official making a concession that firefighters across the nation have been trying to get them to admit.

“Dangerously low levels.”

OK then.  There.

Now what?

Now that we’ve reached the point where we can all agree that cutting public safety is “dangerous’”, will the local taxpayer have accepted such practice as a necessary evil?

Because “dangerously low levels” is evil.

And in my opinion, utterly unacceptable.

Posted in News, Staffing, WTF?

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Posted by on November 10, 2009 • 4 comments

9/11 and the Forgotten (The Secret List)

From www.FireFighterCloseCalls.com

Thursday, September 10, 2009 

-Hey,
8 years ago.
When we recall the World Trade Center attack, the  Pentagon attack and the hi-jacked crash in Pennsylvania on the anniversary of Sept. 11, we get angry. Or we should. If we don’t, that’s a real problem.

So first and foremost, we take time to remember all those murdered on 9/11 along with the Firefighters, Police Officers and EMS Members murdered in the Line of Duty.

We also take time to remember those who survived and those who are survivors of those murdered.

There is also a group of THOUSANDS of Firefighters, Police Officers and EMS Members who live 9/11 every day. Most who it seems, have been forgotten. They along with other support workers, are suffering from major upper respiratory illnesses, some of them life threatening, that were contracted from inhaling the air at Ground Zero. It started with the first arriving company, police officer and EMT and continues today.

For me, I will NEVER FORGET the statements by "officials" claiming there was no harm being caused to those breathing the fumes. Elected and appointed idiots who think that we would believe their crap.

Incredible.

What’s more incredible is that they were believed by the clueless majority-and those who might have to write checks or actually TAKE responsibility. WTF?!

For now, responders receive federally funded monitoring and treatment, but this "system" is in a precarious situation. Funds are allotted annually, and next years funding could be cut or not granted at all, leaving many ill responders with nothing. Nothing. Congress is also considering a bill that would establish permanent Federal funding for 9/11 medical monitoring and treatment, giving workers and lower Manhattan residents some long-term health resources. Without that, some may have nothing.

Congress needs to be held to the fire in TAKING CARE of those who responded, gave their lives-or are GIVING their lives in helping others. Ask your member of Congress where they are on the issue?

The James Zadroga Act, named for an NYPD Detective who died as a result of illnesses contracted while operating at Ground Zero, has support in both houses of Congress from the New York and New Jersey delegations and lobbying muscle from the unions, but it appears to inspire little action from other lawmakers. It seems that some feel that it’s a NY and NJ problem, not "their" problem.

What happened to 9/11 being an AMERICAN PROBLEM?

Make the call. Find out where YOUR elected officials are and what they are doing-and will do..

You’ll also LOVE the fact that the bill has also lost some of its supporters from last year; it was shelved in October when Congress turned its attention to a $700-billion bailout package for Wall Street.

How’d that work out? We’re just say’n.

If you are interested in the politics of this, GOOGLE the "9/11 Health" and you’ll find plenty. I know there is ALOT to this issue and to some it is VERY complicated. But sadly, it reminds me of how we treat many war veterans and now, 9/11 survivors, and those who are dying a slow death-as they too were attacked on 9/11/01. They just didn’t die soon enough for the politicians.

As far as we are concerned, we just wanted to remind all of The Secret List members that NEVER FORGETTING, as Rick L says, means NEVER FORGETTING. And as a part of that, it means never forgetting:
- who attacked us.
- why they attacked us.
- who gave their lives that day.
- who continues to suffer each and every day.
- and who, amongst all of our members of Congress and Senate actually care enough to support them.

There is a clear moral obligation on the part of the Federal Government to take care of all those genuinely affected by 9/11, both physically and mentally.  8 years later-how are your local Federally elected officials responding?

Ask’em.

Take Care,
BillyG
The Secret List 9/10/09
www.FireFighterCloseCalls.com

Posted in Brotherhood, Firefighters, Never Forget, WTF?

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Posted by on September 11, 2009 • No comments