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Subscribe to RSSCongress may have solved the debt limit debate, but its work is far from finished if you ask Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood.
Today, LaHood made a surprise appearance (his second in as many weeks) at the White House daily press briefing, where he lashed out at lawmakers for starting their summer recess without ending the partial shutdown of the Federal Aviation Administration. “Come back to Washington,” LaHood implored Congress. “Leave your vacation. Come back to Congress. Help your friends and neighbors get back to work!”
LaHood said the impasse, which started on July 23, has left 4,000 federal employees furloughed and more than 70,000 construction workers out of a job because airline construction projects have been halted.
At issue is a financing proposal that would cut subsidies at rural airports, as well as a GOP-backed proposal making it more difficult for airline and railroad workers to unionize.
The Republican-sponsored FAA bill easily passed the House, but it stalled in the Senate, where Democrats say the legislation is harmful to workers’ rights and makes it almost impossible for some small airports to remain open. “Senate Democrats have no one to blame but themselves for this partial shutdown of FAA programs and airport projects," charged U.S. Rep. John Mica (R-FL), chairman of the House Transportation Committee.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid fired back; “So many people desperate for work are being told they can’t because once again the house Republicans, rather than legislate the way we’ve done around here for a long time, feel they have the empowerment to hurt individual people.” Senate leaders urged Republicans to come back to Washington to pass a short-term extension that would at least approve funding for the FAA past the legislative summer recess.
President Obama also called on Congress to act. “This time Congress has decided to play some politics ... and as a consequence, they left town without getting this extension done.” The president warned that the federal government was in danger of losing $200 million a week due to the suspension of airline tax revenues during the partial shutdown.
“This is a self-inflicted wound that is unnecessary,” Obama said. According to White House officials, the president spoke with House Speaker John Boehner about the FAA stalemate Tuesday. White House Press Secretary Jay Carney told reporters the administration was looking at the “measures the president may be able to take” to bring an end to the impasse.
During his appearance at the press briefing, LaHood emphasized the urgency of the situation. “When I went to LaGuardia [airport], I met with unemployed construction workers. These people are hurting... They don't know at the end of the day whether they're going to be able to make their next mortgage payment, car payment.”
He also pointed to the fact that dozens of airline inspectors are working without pay. Insisting that safety will not be compromised, LaHood still warned time has run out. “I'm focusing my attention like a laser beam on Congress... End your vacation for a couple days... Come back to Washington... Pass a bill.” His fiery remarks led one reporter to ask Carney if the White House would have liked to have the Transportation secretary working with the President to end the debt limit debate.
“He does have a full time job,” Carney quipped.
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These congress critters cutting & running before resolving this is beyond OBSCENE!
Boehner & Co. could care less about the amount of pain & suffering they're inflicting on those who were still lucky enough to even have a J O B!!!
Oh well, Boehner's got 5 whole weeks to drown his sorrows!
Wait...!!!! Another crisis already?
Wow, they sure come by, fast and stronger these days.... positive feedback loop, much?
By the rate it is going, congress will crash and burn soon.
By the way, can President Obama just have all congress fired??
This is so that we can re-vote in more moderate republican and democrats in office (with their campaign financed by the government). We need to rid special interest financing from campaigns.
Congress works so hard to get elected/reelected. We are in crisis mode and they're on vacation??
Not a good thing.
Note to Congress: come home and get to work!
So the President had lunch, why didn't he stay and work? And, the birthday party, will it be a work party? FAAs own statistics show that some small airport jet service costs $3700 per passenger tax payer subsidy. I totally agree with LaHood those airports need to go, and the President should miss a lunch now and then to take care of it.
One of the 13 airport construction projects not popular with the 'spending cut' crowd is in a runway project next to a small village near Harry Reid's house. The people in that village have a short drive to a city with a transportation hub, and major jet service. About $5 in gas.
Yes, in the short term, there are construction jobs building a jet runway. However, when it is finished it will forever need to be subsidized with thousands of US tax dollars per passenger. There really is no way Harry Reid can spin around this. The village may not be able to acquire any jet service at all which is a dillemma faced by small town airports across the country.
It could very well end up a runway to nowhere.
We have a lot of spending cuts in the future. The no-brainers are easy and we should go for them or pay later losing things we might care about more.
Scott-579755, you are missing the point, it has nothing to do with the funding of rural airports. The problem with the bill is a union busting provision in the bill that the Republican/TP Inc. party tried to slip in, unnoticed.
The amendment says that a non-vote is a 'no' vote when employees vote on whether they want union representation, or not. That is a false assumption. A non-vote can be just as likely interpreted as a 'yes' vote using the same reasoning. The assumption was, and should remain, that everyone that showed up cared enough to vote yes or no. Those that did not, did not care one way or the other and were willing to accept what the majority of those that voted decided. i.e. 20 people can vote, 14 show up to vote, 8 vote yes, 6 vote no, the union is in since the other 6 did not care enough to vote yes or no.
For those who think an assumption one way or the other should be made, how about we apply that to every election. Let's make a law that says that everyone who doesn't vote one way or another on, say, a state constitutional amendment defining marriage as being between a man and a woman, is counted as a 'no' vote. Or during the next presidential election, everyone who doesn't vote is counted as a vote to reelect President Obama. That would be fair, right? I mean, it is as fair as counting every non-vote in a union decision as a 'no' vote.
Sweet - so the senate democrats blocked a house bill and know wants to kick the can down the road with a temp fix.
Seems that reid and company are naturally stupid by not proposing its own solution.
Matt - How about just saying that a vote for union representation has to be made by every worker involved or representation is denied. Regardless, why should the taxpayers be held up by a public union?
How can anyone say that risking the livelihood of hundreds of thousands of workers until you get your way is NOT political hostage-taking? If not, then what's the point?
Very childish political hostage taking, but still ....
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid fired back; “So many people desperate for work are being told they can’t because once again the house Republicans, rather than legislate the way we’ve done around here for a long time, feel they have the empowerment to hurt individual people.”
____________________________________________
Get used to it Harry. The old ways don't work any more. The American people are fed up with Washington "business as usual".
Today's WSJ has an opinion piece that addresses that issue. Here's the first couple of paragraphs:
The Debt Deal and the Agony of Nancy Pelosi
In the new climate of spending cuts, Democrats appear disoriented and distraught.
The agony of Nancy Pelosi, the Democratic leader in the House of Representatives, is palpable these days. When she speaks on the House floor, she waves her arms and talks with great passion. She has the look of a politician in torment.
The cause of her distress is the change this year in the political culture of Capitol Hill. Congress has traditionally been dominated by the impulse to spend more and more of the public's money. In 2011, and especially in the Republican-controlled House, that has been replaced by a culture of spending cuts.
Scott, why is it so many of the small airports on the GOP list to stop subsidizing are in those states with powerful democratic legislators? Do you also think that a person who doesn't vote should be counted as a NO vote? The GOP won't stop subsidizing big oil and gas or corporate jet owners but anything for the American citizen is cut. Does a Corporation that owns an airplane deserve a subsidy while those citizens in rural areas don't? Can't have it both ways.
Unless someone has lived in these rural areas where air travel used to be nonexistent, they have no right to complain. Even mid-sized cities have difficulty keeping regional airlines available to get people to the larger cities and their ultimate destination.
So, Joe...
You're good with ANOTHER 4,000 Americans out of work, then?
I'm just trying to clarify what your actual position on this is, since you really didn't state it in your post. I see a lot of deflective babbling about Reid, the WSJ, oh, and you even manage to sneak Pelosi's name in there...
So, just where do you stand on ANOTHER 4,000 jobs lost, Joe?
The 4,000 federal employees are not losing their jobs, they are being furloughed while Harry Reid sends the Senate on a five week vacation. They are the unfortunate collateral damage of Harry Reid's incompetence. BTW, my strong bet is that they will all be paid for the time they didn't work once this thing gets resolved.
"The Republican-sponsored FAA bill easily passed the House, but it stalled in the Senate"
Gee, one more example of Harry Reid ignoring bills that the House has passed. I guess old habits are hard to break.
Surprise, surprise, surprise.
Lets sy your on a flight that has your ass and 350 others on board. Your plane losses both engines. The polit is able to land and save lives at some remote airport and save lives. Oh would that be the thing to do if you were wearing those shoes. Remmber souis city Iowa. That is one of the airports fetting chopped
Joe in Albany: I would not take the WSJ as anything other than a mouthpiece for Ruport Murdoch and far right wing of the Republican Party.
I find it amazing that in all of the Republican responses to this issue, I have not seen a single opinion in favor of the one person one vote rule.
The Republican party is not only determined to steal your money, now they want to steal your ability to have your vote count too.
The Republican party has gone down hill since President Eisenhower left office. From the appointment of George W. Bush as President to the Citizens United case, the SCOTUS has been actively partisan. Republicans don't care about the cost to people, so long as they support their corporate sponsers, in this case, Delta.
Worst Congress Ever!
Has been the worst congress since 2006.... EVER!
Are you talking about the 113th CongressB?
You know the one that's passed 12 bills in 8 months?
Yeah! That would be the one right?
Word has it the 113th Congress is the worst. The one that will convene in January 2013. You know the one that's already passed a lot of bills. That would be the one.
JoAnna - According to history, this is the worst Congress since the 1920s.
Pitiful just plumb down pitiful. Where did that job killin' thing go there Speaker Boehner. Seems like to me that all you'll have done since taking over in January is kill jobs.
Heat up the town halls, people!
Don't let them 'rest'!
Don't worry Rep. Joe DEAD BEAT DAD Walsh is going to get an earful...
Give him heck, Fiesty.
Though it may well go straight through the other ear...
But, but....attending town halls and disagreeing with your Congressman shows lack of civility and anarchy and chaos and disrespect and is dangerous and the end of democracy as we know it.
Oh, that only applies to the Tea Party...carry on.
Bob
Some are capable of decorum in their protest. Yes, even when legitimate.
Some aren't
Richard - Hiring union thugs to dismantle town hall meetings is not in good form. We know this happened before the 2010 elections.
People are pissed off at the government... a lot of that has to do with lack of leadership at the top. You have approximately 21% of voters friggen flaming on fire for Obama because they hate those that will not support him... those that will not support him, see right through him.
I remember the republican thugs coming in and busting up counting the votes too. I know I only see things from one side.
I also wouldn't support union thugs either. I am just a liberal and can't see how this benefits any side.
I also think free speech is more than money and it angers me to see post collapsed just because someone doesn't want the content readily seen. I would bet every one of the collapse vampires claim to believe in free speech.
Americans First - I've noticed a whole lot less collapsing lately. I'm not sure why but over the course of a couple of weeks, it's been quiet on the collapsing front.
I remember the black panthers standing in front of polling places in 2008... particularly in Philly. I guess they don't count for voter intimidation... at least that's what Eric Holder thought and that's the reason he never prosecuted them.
Brianb, the "always reliably way right-of-center centrist":
I seriously doubt the Union "thug" story. This is analogous to the recording of Scott Walker saying he was "thinking about" planting "troublemakers" in the protest crowd. Dems don't think like this, but repubs clearly do.
Unions no longer have "thugs". You have been watching too many Sylvester Stallone movies, or for some reason you are in the 1930's.
It is nearly impossible to get Union members to show up to a monthly meeting let alone get them to "thug" anyone. Twenty-eight percent of our Union membership votes republicant anyway.
I remember going to a Union rally for the members of Set Steel in Warren, Michigan. They were going to have a Union vote for whether they desired Union representation. We were there to line the road and encourage them with signs that said "VOTE "YES"", etc. Management called the Warren Police to have us ejected from the access road to the plant, but we had a legal parade permit. They could do nothing.
Then THE COMPANY sent ITS thugs out to intimidate and stare down every Union voter that showed up to work to vote. One guy in particular. A big dude, 6 feet 4 or so, with a big handlebar mustache stood there with his arms folded, and locked eyes and scowled at every potential Union member passing by him. Many of the employees shook it off, defiant. So much for why they needed representation.
I intend to organize protests to disrupt Tea Baggie protests. Gonna plaster myself with some fake toy guns to make em feel at home.
I think people are getting a little sick of being pushed around by you repubs, and it'll show at the polls in November. We got complacent in 2010, but won't make that mistake twice.
GOP:
[Unions no longer have "thugs". You have been watching too many Sylvester Stallone movies, or for some reason you are in the 1930's.]
In the 1920's and 30's, the original "union thug" wasn't a union member at all, but patsies sent by companies to break up the unions. So to use a term like "union thug" is really just another attempt at rewriting history, and the ignorant buy the line, and repeat it daily.
Poor Ray. Running a Transportation department with a $70 billion budget, a budget with a big target on its back. Looks like ol'Ray will soon be out of a job and will be selling used Volts.
Same-old, same-old with Harry. He just can't get his homework done, and then the crisis happens.
Worst Senate ever Amy. Why is Harry holding the FAA hostage? Is Harry some kind of terrorist that is holding a gun to the FAA's head? Quit playing politics with people's lives Harry and pass the House's bill.
JoAnna - honey - why don't you give it a rest?
It's painful to watch your own side call you out on your bullsh!t!!
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid fired back; “So many people desperate for work are being told they can’t because once again the house Republicans, rather than legislate the way we’ve done around here for a long time...
Need I say any more?
Poor Harry, he's dead (politically), and he doesn't even know it.
Television or radio I will be sure and avoid that channel?
JAS1:
So you're good with another 4,000 Americans being out of work?
The best news is come 2012 there will not be enough GOP left in the legislature to amount to much. Let all you fox news hounds bark and growl all you want. Its just amazes me that you turd blossems are aver on real news sites spreading there hate. Hopefully when Murdoch goes to jail and many of his turd droppings join him, he can have another site and expand it enough all you hating little ankle bitters can stay over there. I never have seen a political party thats has a death wish as the current GOP. Dont blame us for the sickness you have.
".... makes it almost impossible for some small airports to remain open."
Guess you wont hear it from the state run media at MSNBC, but rumors are these 'small airports' are mostly empty and heavily subsidized by the poor taxpayer, and only exist so big wig politicians like Harry Reid can fly closer to their homes, and dont have the inconvenience of a limo ride....
Some of these airlines at these small airports are being subsidized $1000 per passenger. Harry has to have noticed, the country is trying to cut back on ridiculous spending.
Yes. That's the whole point. It's time for a change in business as usual.
They're not intentionally hurting individual people. They are trying to bring a little sanity back to the government. It's the unions, in this case, that are hurting the individuals - using the workers as pawns. Not very nice of the unions, I would say.
If Senator Reid would bring the bill to a vote, those people might get back to work.
If Senator Reid would bring the bill to a vote, those people might get back to work.
Therein lies the problem Candice. Reid doesn't want to bring it to a vote. He wants to blame house republicans because Harry is a partisan hack. It's the only way he wins support from his liberal base.
The House represents the people. When Senator Reid tables House bills, he tables the people in effect. He accuses the Republicans of trying to hurt people. He prefers to simply disregard the people and pander to his liberal base. You're right, Brianb.
This so called sanity is not sanity. If the airports need to close, close them don't hold them as hostages to the death of unions.
Unions were started to protect us from the ruthless businessman that put the almighty dollar above safety. Businesses hate unions having to share some of the profits of the company with good paying jobs. Breaking the unions is just another step in the rich takeover of America and the destruction of the middle class.
It is so important to break the unions that the republicans are willing to forgo millions in revenue, throw over 4000 people out of work and then have the gall to ask you to believe they care about the debt or jobs.
The republican devotion to the rich is not trying it actually hurts people. Do you really believe that this union fight in our fragile economy is the best thing to do right now? Maybe we should be putting attention on making jobs and not losing them. The United States has probably already lost more in revenue than what the unions cost.
I guess the death to America agenda comes before jobs.
@Bob188--"........makes it impossible for small airports to remain open.."
My own towns airport is listed. This is just another example of pork barrel spending trumping effective use of taxpayers money.
Senator Tom Udall would lose political points but the cost/benefit would never factor in. To its defense, our little airport is viatal in that slurry planes fly in and out to fight forest fires. Other than that just a few private planes. Can't justify commercial air traffic with El Paso and hours drive.
Your point is exactly what is being missed, the use of airports other than for passengers. 1. Firefighting, 2, life flight 3. troup deployment 4. air guard training 5. business infrastructure (we have a local soda pop plant). HIghway improvement is also being defunded. Again, the economy and country are being ruined over the stupidity of our congress. They will walk like the rest of us!
That a boy Bob. Blame all these folks out of work over Hary REid. Bob listen real good okay.. @!$%# YOU
Amen, Mr. LaHood!
I'm sure with all the Ground Turkey getting recalled for salmonella, the Consumer Protection Agency is going to be toast!
Holding the taxpayers hostage, are we? Give Obama and the Govt. every red cent you have, or you will be poisoned!
I thought those government agencies were supposed to prevent this from happening. They were supposed to protect us!
More tax payer dollars used ineffectively and now people are getting sick.
Let's feed some to Bob####'s.
I don't think his kind believes in bacteria.
You know what really makes me sick... and it's not from eating anything... it's the amount of money we waste on the commerce department. There's 40,000 employees working for the commerce department... do you know what they are supposed to be doing? They are supposed to be promoting commerce and getting people back to work. I think that's a very ineffectual federal department that needs to be axed. Maybe if those 40,000 people lost their jobs, they might have a little remorse in not doing their jobs. Just think how much money we'd save by seeing that department axed.
Secret Services new code name for Obama.
I think the abolition of the Chamber of Commerce would be a good thing too.
It is nothing but a right wing star chamber, a front for Koch Industries.
Believe it or not, the furlough of the 4000 FAA employees has more to do with a mission of the GOP elite to privatize the non-Air Craft Controller jobs in the FAA and stop the taxation that we currently levy on Airlines through the FAA. It is detailed in the Heritage Foundation Saving the American Dream Plan which can be found on their website. It states plainly on page 33 of this plan: "Finally, all non-safety functions of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) are transferred to the private sector, and most FAA fees are eliminated. The air traffic control system will be transferred to the private sector, where it belongs, and financed by flight ticket user fees." This is simply the usurping of the political process by the GOP to do the bidding of Airline Industry Lobbyists, and Special Interests who would seek to profit from the decimation of the FAA. We are loosing 30 million dollars a day from this untimely GOP gamesmanship and hijacking of government processes. Someone needs to check these jingoist, logically under enhanced tea-party Representatives before they do something the Nation can't recover from.
I'm taking the train from now on.
How come there's never a partial shutdown of the Legislature. Heck, that's only 535 folks.
The President should use whatever means necessarily to get the 74,000 people who are not working back to work. If the GOP wants to play these games - take away their ability to legislate this way. Steam roll them. 74,000 people not working is a BIG deal. They represent Mortgages, Rent, Car Notes, and Bills not being paid, Groceries not being bought and a economic ripple effect through the communities where these jobs are furloughed. I say enough. The US is in a economic recovery and ANYTHING these GOP nitwits do to stifle the recovery justifies a emergency powers act of the executive office to steam roll over their demands. These wretches went on vacation leaving 74,000 people out of work so they could please their Lobbyist pals and Mentors at the Heritage Foundation??! It is time that we legislate by fiat whenever they play these games. They don't represent the will of the People just the misplaced and ignorance based will of of those willingly led astray by our generations right wing "yellow press" Thanks alot Rupert M and Roger A.
This is a perfect example of how Congress does not care about us. They do not want to "risk" their political agendas, so 74,000 people will not be able to take care of their families. Are they really representing US?
Strip the trade agreements of the TAA provisions and put those up for vote. That would allow many more than 74,000 to to be able to take care of their families.
Part of what Harry said is very telling. "the way we've done around here for a long time". That is the problem, not the solution. Harry want the same old business as usual. Thos days are apparently over Harry. Get used to it.
Fly now while you pay no taxes says the greedy bastards who flew quickly out of town before doing their due diligence for the American people. Pity they do so only to assist yet another industry accomplish their union busting goals before refusing to answer the deafening question for House Leadership: WHERE ARE THE JOBS?
Answer: Tossed away for political gain.
Missy - this so called problem has been around since about 2007, wonder why the democrats keep kicking the can down the road?
OBAMA 2012 :)
House.....BLUE!!!!
Senate......BLUE!!!!
OBAMA 2012 :)
House.....BLUE!!!!
Senate......BLUE!!!!
Country......DOOMED!!!
Our only thing that will save us is making 2008 elections look under attented.
If you love American vote any Democrat 2012
@areuserious--we gave it to you. We gave it all to you. Through negligence, malfeansese, self interest, mis management, you managed to give away something like 60 house seats and about half dozen senate. You just screwed it up. In the Marines you would have been known as (with deepest apoligies to ladies and those of sensitive ears) f***ups. If the Democrat Party would have been working for me, I would have had to fire them all including a number of posters here. I think some folks here should be more concerned with the Democrate Party than Republican or Tea. Slamming Republican or Tea Party does not make a party that loses 60 house and half dozen or so senate seats look any better.
That's crazy talk. Look at California, one party rule, is a kiss of death. If California is not a good example, lets try the first two years of Obama, Pelosi and Reid. Kiss of death.
Seriously, Not good, not good at all.
Question, How is the FEC Audit going? I read somewhere that Obama has paid over 3 million in legal fees so far.
It is amazing how STUPID you libs are. Harry Reid refused to bring up the bill that would have fixed the FAA mess, a bill the housr had already passed.
Yes, and cutting off my foot would 'fix' a hang nail on my big toe.
You are the idiot, Herman'.
Herman - keep up the good work, matti hates it when the democrats have to do anything.
Why should Boehner worry? He's got that neato private jet...you know, the one that the Teapublicans hated when Pelosi was flying in it.
Da Noid:
That Pelosi's 737 one is debunked in Snopes. The repub that ordered that plane was Pelosi's predecessor, Denny Hastert.
http://www.snopes.com/politics/pelosi/jet.asp
Even has the repub guy, Youngblood admitting as much on Youtube.
Sorry repubbies, but,.........fail on this one.
Take another swing. Next shooter.
WTG GOP!!! You slap down liberals better than I do! ROFL!
Nope.
I was slapping repubbies.
I know Da Noid is one of the guys in the white hats. :o)
Whatever repubbie told him(her) the "private jet" story got slapped. It goes with the "Obama won't wear an American Flag Tie Pin" story, and the "Obama is a Muslim" story and the "Obama won't stand for the national anthem" story,.....and the,.....ad infinatum.
He flies in a small commuter jet. Nancy flew a 737, 5 times larger 8 times more expensive to fly.
Yes, because the 737 has the fuel range needed to fly from the West coast to DC without refueling. The plane Boehner uses only has to fly from Ohio to DC, thus a smaller plane.
The former speaker, Peolsi was required to be able to fly non-stop due to her position as 3rd in line after the President.
You hater's really need to get a clue to the legitimacy of the reasons behind certain things instead of just parroting the sound byte of the extremist view which is soley based upon illogical reasoning.
I guess poor ol Nancy has to take military flights now, just like all the other congresspeople do.
Hey Guys, Please! Who really cares? They are all crooks! Think about the people that have no money even to get the bus. (Some of us) Who cares who has the bigger "jet"?
irespond - why those in government do... he who has the biggest plane..... WINS!
Seriously, rob-3848643, parroting a debunked lie (it was a Rep. Pelosi's Republican predecessor, Rep. Hastert, who designated a 737) only makes you look stupid. And then calling others 'morons' while doing it? Well, that's just icing on the cake of your stupidity.
Another overpaid underworked union hack shilling for a lifetime cushy job and obscene pension heard from. Thanks for your input.
Makes you wish you had those pay and benefits,....don't it Bob###s?
That's OK.
When I'm retired I'll let you mow my lawn for me.
I pay Union-scale.
End THEIR jobs!
Just you wait when all the people on unemployment lose their unemployment and the 2012 tea recession if we are lucky and not a depression takes off. The republicans are going to be as popular as fresh skunk perfume.
Americans first - Forgetting about all those 99'ers laid off in 2008 & early 2009. Theirbenefits expired long ago. Wonder if they still think that obamas "hope and change" rhetoric is any consolation?
If a recession does occur before the 2012 election obama will be toast, no matter who he tries to blame. As potus his job was to lead us out of the 2007-2008 recession not into a new one.
Yes they are. You repubs used to be the party of Lincoln and Eisenhower. Now you are a collection of right-wing bufoons that are tools for big business and the wealthy.
Your party is good at controlling and shaping a misleading message for a hidden agenda. You are a circus side show.
Proof? OK.
Palin, Bachman, Joe the Plumber, Christine (Witch) O'Donnell, and the rest of your god damn Froot Loops too numerous to mention.
How do these "BUMS" in congress get a 800K dollar retirement ? ...They are government workers ..why are they even making more then 35K a year...they don't do a dam thing ! And when they do they screw it up !
The New GOP Jobs Bill
La Hood gives orders? In his dreams.
In any other business the highest paid people are expected to work during a crisis. Why is our government an exception?
These politicians are ripping us all off so badly it's sick!!
Once again the Senate Democratic leadership fail to act and are continuing the notion that we the people should fund convenience fees for rural travelers by subsidizing their airfare when they can drive an hour and half at most to get to a real airport. These people choose to live in the boonies, so why should we have to supplement their decisions.
As for unioninzing issues, the FAA is an essential government function, and the FAA employees are paid very very well for their services. FAA employees do not need to be unionized. A strike, as proven many years ago, is detrimental to our air safety ... and unions just take employees money and only can provide strikes that only hurt the employees and not the union coffers!!!! When are we going to realise that unions bring NOTHING to the table anymore!!!
Come on Harry... bring this up for a real vote int he Senate and get this done! In an age of cutbacks to resolve our debt crisis, supplementing the ridiculous additional costs of sending airplanes to rural airports is obscene.
Unions do "bring something to the table" Fed Up.
I'll bet my fully-paid medical benefits, my generous pension, my Christmas to New Years pay with time off, my Union contract signing bonus, my profit sharing, my 401K, my free legal services, my 3 1/2 weeks paid vacation (that I am on right now), my holiday pay, my overtime,.....etc.....
Shall I continue, or have you had enough? OK. I'll let you up.
"Fed Up" what do you get?
Care to try again?
I get all of these (except some bogus union contract bonus) because I earned them through years of work experience and commitment ... and am not a member of any union, so what is your point? Were all your benefits based on your talent and experience or some generic union deal? Maybe you deserve and earned all these based on your work achievements, but you surely do not need a union to ensure basic benefits. It is the similar ndiculous, overblown union-acquiired benefits for everyone regardless of their experience or work that I find so obscene.
Your mental jousting bets do not impress me in the least!
Even if Congress came back, there wouldn't be a resolution. This is about union busting, not about money. It will be the same debacle as the debt ceiling. You can't have decent legislation when you have a faction that is recalcitrant, uncompromising, and determined to block any sort of an intelligent bill. The Tea Party has made our Congress dysfunctional and unable to do business and run the country. That being said, I don't know why government employees who have the protection of the government need a union. Can anyone shed light on that? Although it doesn't appear to be in Obama's character to be a hard ass, I think he's going to have to become one to get anything done. To be intelligent, reasonable, and have the best interests of the country at heart will not work with this Congress.
Not about union busting.......it is about keeping a 75 year old labor law intact. Reid and the Senate added the GIFT to the unions in February. GOP just wants to keep same labor rules in place. I agree....where are the documented abuses by our government towards it's employee's????....There are none. The fact that unions give 93% of political donations to the DNC and the unions are still pissed that Card Check did not get passed by Democrats while they had the chance......that is the reason Harry added the union payback. Obama want more unions/donations.