Can it get any worse?
Sounds like you need a 'workers revolution' to even the playing field.


Harry Krause wrote in message
news:c3dhc2g=.aa27f9c9baa151171cbe7118ad845cb9@107 6692032.nulluser.com...
Encouraging Job Flight & Benefit Reductions

With millions out of work and U.S. wages stagnating, the Bush
Administration has pushed economic policies that are making the
situation worse. From touting offshore outsourcing, to encouraging
companies to moving jobs to China, the White House has systematically
put the interests of working families behind the interests of its
largest corporate benefactors.

Encouraging Companies to Terminate U.S. Jobs and Leave America

WHITE HOUSE REPORT CELEBRATES LOSS OF U.S. JOBS TO OUTSOURCING: Under
the headline "Bush Supports Shift of U.S. Jobs Overseas" the LA Times
reported that the Bush Administration "embraced foreign outsourcing, an
accelerating trend that has contributed to U.S. job losses in recent
years." The Administration made the announcement even as analysts
predict "as many as 2 million U.S. white-collar jobs" will be exported
at a time when millions are already out of work. When asked whether the
White House's top economic advisor who touted outsourcing should resign,
the Administration said the mere suggestion was "laughable."[Source: LA
Times, 2/10/04; Reuters, 12/30/03; Hastert release, 2/11/04; CNN Lou
Dobbs Tonight, 2/11/04]

ADMINISTRATION SPONSORS CONFERENCES TO HELP COMPANIES MOVE JOBS TO
CHINA: The Bush Commerce Department actively "sponsors" and
"participates in conferences and workshops that encourage American
companies to put operations and jobs in China." For one event at the
luxurious Waldorf Astoria in New York, the "Commerce Department was
described by the Chinese as a co-sponsor." [Source: NY Times, 12/11/03]

ADMINISTRATION SUPPORTS NEW TAX BREAKS FOR COMPANIES MOVING OFFSHO
After the WTO prohibited a U.S. provision "shielding companies' overseas
sales from taxes," the Administration's allies wrote a bill to "make up
for the lost tax break by creating others." One of the new tax breaks
would have "allowed $70 million in tax breaks for off-shore construction
contracts" - a specific incentive to move jobs offshore. [Source: SF
Chronicle, 10/31/03; New York Sun, 10/29/03]

ADMINISTRATION ALLOWS COMPANIES TO MOVE OFFSHORE TO AVOID TAXES: While
"President Bush says the Bermuda loophole" that allows companies to move
their offices offshore to avoid U.S. taxes "should be closed, he has yet
to support any of the bills that would do so." Meanwhile, when Congress
passed a bill barring federal contracts from going to such companies,
the White House did not support it and the bill died. Because of the
loopholes, in 1998, "$155 billion in corporate income literally
disappeared." The top Fortune 500 corporations (which include
Halliburton) who benefit from the loophole have given Bush and his
allies more than $5.2 million since 2000. [Sources: ABC, 7/12/02; AP,
7/31/02; Chrs. Sci Monitor, 5/22/02; Citizen Works; Center for
Responsive Politics]

Rewarding Companies That Reduce Worker Protections/Benefits

WHITE HOUSE PROPOSES TO WEAKEN PENSION PROTECTION FOR WORKERS: Despite a
federal court ruling that controversial "cash balance" pension plans
which reduce benefits were illegal, the Bush administration unveiled a
proposal to "make it easier for companies that operate traditional
pension plans to convert them to 'cash balance' plans." In 2003, the
Administration similarly "proposed regulations that would help companies
avoid the age-discrimination lawsuits" they face when they have forced
workers into "cash balance" plans. [Source: AP, 12/11/02, Washington
Post, 2/3/04]

ADMINISTRATION ALLOWS COMPANIES TO CUT OFF EIGHT MILLION WORKERS FROM
OVERTIME: The Bush Administration passed new rules that allow companies
to shed 8 million workers from overtime protections. When Sen. Arlen
Specter (R-PA) attempted to block the rule changes, he was steamrolled
by the White House. When asked why the Administration would cut off so
many workers, Secretary of Labor Elaine Chao said employers are spending
$2 billion a year on "needless litigation" by workers trying to receive
the pay they were promised. [Sources: CNN, 6/27/03; UPI, 1/21/04]

WHITE HOUSE GIVES TUTORIALS ON HOW COMPANIES CAN AVOID PAYING WORKERS
OVERTIME: In the face of stagnating wages, the Bush Labor Department
began "suggesting ways employers can avoid paying overtime to some of
the 1.3 million low-income workers who would become eligible this year"
for overtime pay. The Administration gave "options for employers include
cutting workers' hourly wages and adding the overtime to equal the
original salary and making a 'payroll adjustment' that results 'in
virtually no, or only a minimal increase in labor costs.'" [Source: AP,
1/5/04]

WHITE HOUSE REPEALS WORKPLACE SAFETY PROTECTIONS: "President Bush signed
his first bill carrying national impact yesterday, repealing workplace
safety regulations." Speaking to female business leaders in the East
Room, "Bush praised Congress for beginning 'a culture of accomplishment
in Washington'" and claimed that "the safety and health of our nation's
workforce is a priority for my administration." [Source: Washington
Post, 3/21/01]

ADMINISTRATION GIVES TAX BREAKS ENCOURAGING COMPANIES TO CUT WORKER
HEALTH CA The Administration added "a little-noticed provision" to
the new Medicare bill that allows companies to severely reduce - or
almost completely terminate - their retirees' drug coverage "without
losing out on a new [tax] subsidy." The major backers of the provision -
Lucent Technologies, General Motors, Dow Chemical and SBC Communications
- gave almost $140,000 in hard money and $2.5 million in soft money to
Bush and his allies since 2000. [Source: WSJ, 1/8/04; Center for
Responsive Politics]

Keep up the good work man, this is a great place to hang out. I sure am
glad you are posting these reports it saves me from reading the newspaper.

"Harry Krause" wrote in message
news:c3dhc2g=.aa27f9c9baa151171cbe7118ad845cb9@107 6692032.nulluser.com...
Encouraging Job Flight & Benefit Reductions

With millions out of work and U.S. wages stagnating, the Bush
Administration has pushed economic policies that are making the
situation worse. From touting offshore outsourcing, to encouraging
companies to moving jobs to China, the White House has systematically
put the interests of working families behind the interests of its
largest corporate benefactors.

Encouraging Companies to Terminate U.S. Jobs and Leave America

WHITE HOUSE REPORT CELEBRATES LOSS OF U.S. JOBS TO OUTSOURCING: Under
the headline "Bush Supports Shift of U.S. Jobs Overseas" the LA Times
reported that the Bush Administration "embraced foreign outsourcing, an
accelerating trend that has contributed to U.S. job losses in recent
years." The Administration made the announcement even as analysts
predict "as many as 2 million U.S. white-collar jobs" will be exported
at a time when millions are already out of work. When asked whether the
White House's top economic advisor who touted outsourcing should resign,
the Administration said the mere suggestion was "laughable."[Source: LA
Times, 2/10/04; Reuters, 12/30/03; Hastert release, 2/11/04; CNN Lou
Dobbs Tonight, 2/11/04]

ADMINISTRATION SPONSORS CONFERENCES TO HELP COMPANIES MOVE JOBS TO
CHINA: The Bush Commerce Department actively "sponsors" and
"participates in conferences and workshops that encourage American
companies to put operations and jobs in China." For one event at the
luxurious Waldorf Astoria in New York, the "Commerce Department was
described by the Chinese as a co-sponsor." [Source: NY Times, 12/11/03]

ADMINISTRATION SUPPORTS NEW TAX BREAKS FOR COMPANIES MOVING OFFSHO
After the WTO prohibited a U.S. provision "shielding companies' overseas
sales from taxes," the Administration's allies wrote a bill to "make up
for the lost tax break by creating others." One of the new tax breaks
would have "allowed $70 million in tax breaks for off-shore construction
contracts" - a specific incentive to move jobs offshore. [Source: SF
Chronicle, 10/31/03; New York Sun, 10/29/03]

ADMINISTRATION ALLOWS COMPANIES TO MOVE OFFSHORE TO AVOID TAXES: While
"President Bush says the Bermuda loophole" that allows companies to move
their offices offshore to avoid U.S. taxes "should be closed, he has yet
to support any of the bills that would do so." Meanwhile, when Congress
passed a bill barring federal contracts from going to such companies,
the White House did not support it and the bill died. Because of the
loopholes, in 1998, "$155 billion in corporate income literally
disappeared." The top Fortune 500 corporations (which include
Halliburton) who benefit from the loophole have given Bush and his
allies more than $5.2 million since 2000. [Sources: ABC, 7/12/02; AP,
7/31/02; Chrs. Sci Monitor, 5/22/02; Citizen Works; Center for
Responsive Politics]

Rewarding Companies That Reduce Worker Protections/Benefits

WHITE HOUSE PROPOSES TO WEAKEN PENSION PROTECTION FOR WORKERS: Despite a
federal court ruling that controversial "cash balance" pension plans
which reduce benefits were illegal, the Bush administration unveiled a
proposal to "make it easier for companies that operate traditional
pension plans to convert them to 'cash balance' plans." In 2003, the
Administration similarly "proposed regulations that would help companies
avoid the age-discrimination lawsuits" they face when they have forced
workers into "cash balance" plans. [Source: AP, 12/11/02, Washington
Post, 2/3/04]

ADMINISTRATION ALLOWS COMPANIES TO CUT OFF EIGHT MILLION WORKERS FROM
OVERTIME: The Bush Administration passed new rules that allow companies
to shed 8 million workers from overtime protections. When Sen. Arlen
Specter (R-PA) attempted to block the rule changes, he was steamrolled
by the White House. When asked why the Administration would cut off so
many workers, Secretary of Labor Elaine Chao said employers are spending
$2 billion a year on "needless litigation" by workers trying to receive
the pay they were promised. [Sources: CNN, 6/27/03; UPI, 1/21/04]

WHITE HOUSE GIVES TUTORIALS ON HOW COMPANIES CAN AVOID PAYING WORKERS
OVERTIME: In the face of stagnating wages, the Bush Labor Department
began "suggesting ways employers can avoid paying overtime to some of
the 1.3 million low-income workers who would become eligible this year"
for overtime pay. The Administration gave "options for employers include
cutting workers' hourly wages and adding the overtime to equal the
original salary and making a 'payroll adjustment' that results 'in
virtually no, or only a minimal increase in labor costs.'" [Source: AP,
1/5/04]

WHITE HOUSE REPEALS WORKPLACE SAFETY PROTECTIONS: "President Bush signed
his first bill carrying national impact yesterday, repealing workplace
safety regulations." Speaking to female business leaders in the East
Room, "Bush praised Congress for beginning 'a culture of accomplishment
in Washington'" and claimed that "the safety and health of our nation's
workforce is a priority for my administration." [Source: Washington
Post, 3/21/01]

ADMINISTRATION GIVES TAX BREAKS ENCOURAGING COMPANIES TO CUT WORKER
HEALTH CA The Administration added "a little-noticed provision" to
the new Medicare bill that allows companies to severely reduce - or
almost completely terminate - their retirees' drug coverage "without
losing out on a new [tax] subsidy." The major backers of the provision -
Lucent Technologies, General Motors, Dow Chemical and SBC Communications
- gave almost $140,000 in hard money and $2.5 million in soft money to
Bush and his allies since 2000. [Source: WSJ, 1/8/04; Center for
Responsive Politics]

"Don White" wrote in message ...
Can it get any worse?
Sounds like you need a 'workers revolution' to even the playing field.

snipage

Don, yes, unfortunately it CAN get worse before we get that ignoramus
to hell out of the White House. He is such a simple acting idiot. He
gave the "start your engines" command yesterday for the Daytona 500,
and he even made THAT into a political statement.