OH Gov. Kasich will sign collective-bargaining bill Thursday night

The Toledo Blade reported earlier this afternoon that “Gov. John Kasich plans to … to sign into law a bill severely restricting the collective bargaining power of some 350,000 public employees in Ohio.”

In the meantime, “An expensive, manpower-intensive petition effort is expected to put the bill to voters via a referendum on Nov. 8, a move that would place the law on hold at least temporarily.”

Equally egregious to Kasich’s union-busting bill is his using it to raise campaign funds for himself. That’s just beyond bad.

“There is a reason that the union bosses opposed these changes; because it strips power from the union leaders and returns it to the taxpayers and workers…,’’ he wrote in a campaign fund-raising e-mail to supporters Thursday morning.”

Kasich will sign collective-bargaining bill Thursday night – Toledo Blade.

 

In The Race or Not 53 GOP Hopefuls and 1 Tea Party | GroundUp

InTheRace | GroundUp.

When I started researching to find whose running, I was amazed to find that most of the 53 Republican presidential nominee hopefuls have at least filed a “Declaration of Intent” with the FEC primarily in 2010 (some even filed in 2009). And we’ve only just got started.  (I wonder if this is a record of some kind?)

GOP Presidential official exploratory committees

Herman Cain [GA] Georgia Businessman
Fred Karger [CA] Political Consultant
Tim Pawlenty [MN] former Gov. of Minnesota
Buddy Roemer [LA] former US Rep. and former Gov. of Louisiana

Potential GOP Presidential Nominees who have not formally filed an exploratory committee or have filed a Declaration of Intent with the FEC

David Aragon [NM]
Michelle Bachmann [MN] US Representative MN-6, will form exploratory committee in June
George Bailey [MS] Ordained minister, CEO of Charter School
Haley Barbour [MS] Gov. of Mississippi, Facebook, Haley’s Pac, Twitter
John Bolton [MD] former Undersecretary, US Permanent Rep. To UN and former Ambassador Twitter
James Carroll [UT] Businessman
Cesar Cisneros [AZ] Businessman
Randolph Crow [NC] Businessman, Of note, filed as Independent on 5/5/2010, as Republican on 11/12/2010 [ran as a Democrat in 2008]
Nick Cuevas [IN] Businessman
Mitch Daniels [IN] Gov. of Indiana, Aiming Hirer Pac
John Davis [CO] Businessman
John Dummett [CA] CA Dept Fish & Game Staff Programmer Analyst
Kenneth Gates [FL]
Newt Gingrich [GA] former US House Speaker, Facebook, Newt.org, GingrichforPresident blog, Twitter
Rudy Giuliani [NY] former Mayor of New York, Facebook fan page
Jon Greenspon [MT] Former Marine, IT Specialist
Mike Huckabee [FL] Pastor, former Gov. of Arkansas, TeamHuck.com, Huck PAC, Twitter

Gov. Malloy takes on New York’s budget deal | The CT Mirror

From Windham, Malloy takes on New York’s budget deal | The Connecticut Mirror. Connecticut Gov. Dan Malloy’s approach to addressing the budget is a welcome change from his predecessor. His budget town hall meetings give us a chance to express our concerns, and more. We all know that the road ahead for Connecticut’s budget ($10 billion shortfall) is steep. But unlike some governors (GOP), Malloy is not looking to slash aide to municipalities while not increasing taxes. He’s actually looking for a “balance” of cuts and tax increases.   CT Mirror reports this morning that:

Doffing his suit coat and rolling up his sleeves in a middle school auditorium, Malloy defended his budget for maintaining state aid to municipalities, while Cuomo’s budget would rely on $4.65 billion in reduced aid to erase nearly half that state’s $10 billion shortfall.

“Eventually somebody is going to say, why don’t you balance your budget like New York?” said Malloy, referring to the budget deal Cuomo cut over the weekend that relies on no tax increases. It set a standard some taxpayers would like Malloy to match.

But Malloy, who has proposed $1.5 billion in higher taxes, said such an approach in Connecticut would drive the state’s problems onto municipalities and the property tax, hurting homeowners and businesses.

“They call that balancing the budget. I didn’t do that. And you know what? It’s not balancing the budget,” Malloy said.

The governor mentioned New York as he fielded questions from 44-year-old Ed Bergman of Plainfield, the second speaker at Malloy’s 13th town-hall meeting on the budget.

Gaddafi Regime Crumbling from Within | Top Regime Member Resigns

Will Gaddafi Accept Exile or Continue to Fight his Opposition?

Recently Al Arabiya television reported that Uganda would welcome Gaddafi after Western and other states suggested the Libyan leader should go into exile to end the battle in Libya. But Henry Okello Oryem, junior Minister for Foreign Affairs, told Reuters that this is a rumor adding if Gaddafi does apply for asylum, he will get the same consideration Uganda gives anyone else seeking asylum.

Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, Pres. Uganda

That’s not much of an endorsement. Perhaps Gaddafi’s clear and ever-present wish to unite the African continent with him as the supreme leader doesn’t bode well with other African nations. The strong ties Gaddafi has with some African leaders is dwindling due to his “erratic” behavior; like his open claims he is “king-of-kings.”

A more telling issue why Uganda may not easily welcome Gaddafi is his support of Idi Amin in 1979 with air strikes against Yoweri Museveni (Uganda President since 1988). That’s hard to “put aside.”

Trump. GOP Presidential Nominee Material or Birther-in-Chief?

Donald Trump's Hospital Birth Record

Okay, maybe the title to this post is more of an oxymoron but one has to ask. GOP 2012 presidential candidate hopeful Donald Trump seems to have selected the birther movement as way of reaching the GOP party-base. So far, Trump’s reasons why he should be the GOP nominee include Ron Paul can’t win, Trump tricked a business couple from China, and now he’s posted online his hospital birth record.

Japan likely to scrap all reactors at contaminated Fukushima nuke plant

Japan seems to have reached the inevitable on the Fukushima power plant. Japan World News reports that:

TOKYO, March 30 (Xinhua) — Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano on Wednesday said that it was highly likely that the stricken reactors at the radiation-leaking Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in northern Japan would be scrapped.

Speaking at a news conference, the top government spokesperson said that he believed all six reactors at the troubled facility should be decommissioned.

He said scrapping the reactors would be in the best interests of society.

“I believe it is very clear from the viewpoint of society (that the reactors should be decommissioned). That is my perception,” the chief cabinet secretary said.

Japan likely to scrap all reactors at contaminated Fukushima nuke plant.

Wisconsin Judge Reaffirms Collective Bargaining Law Restraining Order

Despite Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker’s efforts to defy the court’s order, Judge Maryann Sumi says her order is “crystal clear” that the law that severely limits Wisconsin public employees has not gone into effect yet as she is still reviewing it.

It seems that here are at least some within Wisconsin who do abide by state and federal law. Something Gov. Walker she at least look into. - 1330 WHBL Sheboygan’s News Radio reports this morning that:

Madison, Wis. (WHBL-Learfield) – A judge in Madison said it’s “crystal clear” that the state law to limit bargaining by public unions will not be in effect while she considers various legal issues. After a day of testimony, Judge Maryann Sumi re-affirmed her restraining order from March 18th, which blocked the union law before Republicans used a new maneuver to put it into effect.

Judge Blocks Collective Bargaining Law – 1330 WHBL Sheboygan’s News Radio.

Banned & Challenged Books Challenges our Freedom to Read

One Third of the "Crew" | Thanksgiving 2010

My grandson, Joshua, stopped by earlier today on his way to class to visit my refrigerator. Unfortunately for Josh, my frig is full of tofu, bean sprouts, kombucha tea, soy butter, Soy Dream Very Cherry Chocolate ice cream (nobody gets to touch that but me), veggie burgers and other fake fast foods. I watched in amusement as Josh alternated between peering into the frig and the freezer, hoping to find something to ease his hunger pangs – like a bacon-cheese-burger.

My daughter stopped by, as well. We thought about ordering a pizza Moe wasn’t hungry and Josh was in a bit of a hurry and decided he’d find something on the way to class. We briefly engaged in a conversation about the 2012 presidential election and how GOP candidates focus solely on spreading fear and intolerance.

Gingrich-America becomes a Secular Atheist Country Dominated by Radical Islamists

Newt Gingrich Snow Globe

On Sunday, former House speaker Newt Gingrich actually stood up in front of a large congregation at a church in San Antonio TX and said that, ”I have two grandchildren … I am convinced that if we do not decisively win the struggle over the nature of America, by the time they’re my age they will be in a secular atheist country, potentially one dominated by radical Islamists and with no understanding of what it once meant to be an American.” The man has lost it.

Herman Cain. Possible GOP Rock Star or just Another Right-Winger Spewing Fear and Intolerance

CAIR slaps Herman Cain over Sharia law comments – Juana Summers – POLITICO.com.

Herman Cain (R) GOP Presidential Nominee Hopeful

I read Juana Summers’s article this morning about Herman Cain’s comments on the Muslim community and that community’s rightful response.

The article sent me on a quest to find out more about Herman Cain. Specifically, I wanted to find out why a well- educated black man from the south would come off as racially and religiously intolerant.

Herman Cain, another GOP potential nominee for president in 2012, came out strong over the weekend in Iowa, stomping on the usual GOP, right-wing political talking points. Two interesting points he made that in my humble opinion don’t match up with his background.

Analysis: Obama Doesn’t Mention Libyan Rebels

Analysis: Obama Doesn’t Mention Libyan Rebels : NPR.

President Obama Speaks to the Nation About Libya | Photo/AP

This is an interesting take on a speech that I believe was right on point in clarifying our involvement and the events as they presented themselves since this conflict begun. What’s even more mystifying to me is that many in the media are addressing the opposition forces as “rebels.”

So what do we have: A host of Libyan people — doctors, lawyers, students, shop-keepers, farmers, men, women and young teenagers (and sometimes an entire family) — took to the streets demanding a voice in their government, jobs and a better economy. Despite a ridiculously high rate of unemployment in a country rich in oil, the dictator and his family are multi-billionaires. The “people” got fed up. This is also a place where the dictator ordered 1200 prisoners massacred — while in prison — several years ago. I guess that was Gaddafi’s way of resolving prison over-crowding.

Libya’s decisive battle looms as Gaddafi troops head east | World news | The Guardian

Libya’s decisive battle looms as Gaddafi troops head east | World news | The Guardian.

Could this be akin to Custer’s Last Stand? Will Gaddafi rise from the ashes as the winner and set about his ruthless taste for revenge? Or, will the opposition forces win the day, releasing themselves from 42 years of tyrannical oppression inflicted by a man and a regime that seem to have no heart, no sense of humanity.

I don’t like war. But my heart is with the opposition forces, the rebels who chose to rebel against a tyrant.

One thing is clear,  Gaddafi’s forces (at least some of them) did not “flee the scene.”  The reports that Gaddafi’s forces fled, leaving behind heavy weaponry could have been that they were retreating against heavy air power and leaving their tanks which would have been like wearing a huge target on your back. Instead of “fleeing” they were regrouping.

That could be true. But I do believe that many are weary of fighting and dissolutioned of a wanna-be king whose life force is darker than night. I believe that he has lost some of his dreaded mercenary army members. Maybe that’s just my way of hoping for an end of the Gaddafi regime.

Gingrich: I’m not a hypocrite – CNN Political Ticker – CNN.com Blogs

Gingrich: I’m not a hypocrite – CNN Political Ticker – CNN.com Blogs. Unbelievable! Clearly, Gingrich is in another world. His comments about not being “perfect” are rich:

“I don’t think I’m perfect. I admitted I had problems. I admitted that I sought forgiveness,” Gingrich said. “But I also think over time, if you look at my record, I’m a pretty effective leader.”

But it gets better. Gingrich actually tosses a free stones at former President Bill Clinton. Go figure