12/19/08

Curing Religious and Bigoted Lifestyle Choices

Because Rick Warren needs tolerant human gene implants to be cured of his sick, perverted and wicked ways.
Given those views, it should come as no surprise that Warren is also a supporter of the ex-gay movement that tries to cure people of their homosexuality. A reader writes to Andrew Sullivan pointing out that Warren’s Saddleback Church operates a program called Celebrate Recovery that seeks to “help people overcome their hurts, habits and hang-ups” by encouraging people to “grow toward full Christlike maturity.”

Hate like this is more sinful than incest, pedophilia, beastiality and allowing marriages between people that can't procreate - like teh gays, sterile people or people that chose not to have kids.

Say what?
"In short the argument goes, "Marriage exists for the next generation's benefit. Gay marriage shouldn't exist because they can't produce offspring."

At first, this seems, if not rational, at least not insane.

But if you think about it, by that measure, a marriage isn't 'real' until the couple produces a child. If one accepts this argument, one is also saying that people who choose to not have children, or are sterile, don't have the privilege of being married."
Can we find a cure for people like Rick Warren before we have to consider just subjugating these Christianists to second class citizen status by revoking their rights or, maybe even, just castrating those of this sub-human religious species to avoid them reproducing more of their kind?

Some Christianists are obviously genetically defective if they can't be cured of the religious bigotry inherent in their lifestyle choices.

That is what it is. You always hear them talking about personal choices and lifestyle choices of others.

For over seven minutes last night, Jon Stewart grilled former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee on his opposition to gay marriage. Huckabee is touring the country to promote his new book, “Do The Right Thing.” When Stewart compared gay marriage bans to interracial marriage bans, Huckabee restated his view that homosexuality is simply a behavior choice:

STEWART: Segregation used to be the law until the courts intervened.

HUCK: There’s a big difference between a person being black and a person practicing a lifestyle and engaging in a marital relationship.

STEWART: Okay, actually this is helpful because it gets to the crux of it. … And I’ll tell you this: Religion is far more of a choice than homosexuality. And the protections that we have for religion — we protect religion. And talk about a lifestyle choice — that is absolutely a choice. Gay people don’t choose to be gay. At what age did you choose to not be gay?

Huckabee tried to insist that “60 percent of the American population” opposes gay marriage. Stewart interrupted him, calling it a “travesty” that gay Americans have to plead for their civil rights... (READ ON)
The truth is that being gay or lesbian is not likely a lifestyle choice. The facts would seem to suggest that it is the way you were when you born - in pretty much the exact same way that you are born black, white, whatever, etc. - and environment may only be a factor in how it can effect the genetic code that people are born with.

And even if it were a choice?

Who cares... Exercising free will, to make your own choice, is as much a right as it is a personal responsibility or, even, A REAL AND HONEST CHRISTIAN VIRTUE. Like choosing to be part of the GLBT community and choosing to get married. They have as much right to their own free will as you do to yours.

So Listen up all of you khaki-brown shit-head semi-epsilon-moron-minus, speudo-scientific, religiously bigoted, sin projectoralist Christianists... Pull the fuckin' log out of your eye and shove it up yer ass. 'Cause it is giving you all brain damage the way you are doing it.

Did someone say snow?

[update] The snow is falling like mad now...

Maybe? Haven't seen any here in New Milford, Connecticut, YET... And at the current 28 degrees in New Milford I don't think we can be expecting the forecasted "frozen mix" unless the temperature shoots up? More likely one big dump of white crap everywhere. From Weather.com:

Storm Heads to the Northeast

The current Midwest storm will find its way into the Northeast today; snow and freezing rain will create problems.

Article | Video

Storm Watch

Winter Storm from Midwest to Northeast

A winter storm will spread a heavy snow and ice from the Midwest and Great Lakes, into the New England States today.

Article | Video

Planning for Winter Weather

It is pretty darn clear that the storm is moving this way... A snapshot of the storm at 9:45 a.m.:



So be ready for whatever it brings. Because it looks to be a real doozy!

12/14/08

2nd best use of shoes I've seen...

Calling someone a dog and showing them the soles of your shoes - especially up close and personal like - are kind of like ultimate insults in their culture. An Iraqi journalist tosses several insults at Bush on his farewell to Iraq tour:



And ya want your So Called Liberal Media? There it is in Iraq... 99% of our right wing corporate owned and controlled media don't have the balls to editorialize like that. Most of them have problems just telling the plain truth.

(h/t Booman for the story and bumblebums for the MSNBC video)

[update] Via Tengrain at Mock, Paper, Scissors:
Our own Scissorhead Laura has a great idea.

Awesome idea!

I had thought that holding a shoe in the air would be a great at demonstrations. One of those few things that the Preznit’s SS wouldn’t take from you as you enter a place where he is scheduled to mangle the English language.

“Bare your sole for Bush!”

But Laura's idea is much more practical...

A lot of people seem to be thinking the same thing here: "He’s got great reflexes for an old dude."

You would too if your BFF was the shotgun wielding neoconservative cheney. Bush is lucky the irate Iraqi wasn't playing horseshoes with hand grenades...

12/13/08

All that I want...

Is to wish you all a safe and happy holiday season...

Stimulate the Economy and Your Brain!

Every once in a while I am going to put up a link here and there to some Blogging friends (well, I think of them as friends? They link, they read and comment occasionally - as do I at their Blogging homes) that have put some serious effort into the causes many of us support and that have something like a book, some art, or maybe something to support a cause dear to their hearts for sale. I don't think it will be more than once a week, give or take, because I don't want to alienate my 3 regular readers (Me, myself and I).

Some may be doing it for a cause, others may be doing it to pay for their bandwidth, and others may be trying eke out a meager living in this piss poor outsourced and unemployed based economy.

In all of those cases, I think that it makes them worthy of our support. I get absolutely nothing from them for these little blurbs - except, maybe, an "attaboy" and the satisfaction of knowing that the few people that click through here may learn about a new site or a new author/artist/cause.

I figured that I would start with this book, The Pains, written by John and available for pre-order over at The Wetmachine, and since my verbosity is generally limited to and usually starts and ends questionably with 4 letter words ("What the fuck?"), I'll let John's words try and sell you on it:

Let's say you're the Savior, Fred Christ.
Would you want your frozen head to be
reanimated in 1984?

The book will be going to press in November, 2008, and printed books will be in hand sometime in early-to-mid December, 2008.

This book is way off schedule. Sometimes stuff happens, and since I announced The Pains, stuff has happened in giant bucketsfull. However, the book essentially done. Originally I promised it for Summer, 2006, then I said March 2007. Thank you to those of you who have waited, (sometimes patiently, sometimes not so patiently) and encouraged me to finish writing the book. Well, I have finished. Selah. I hope you like it.

Starting with Chapter 3, attentive readers may notice some allusions to, and borrowing from, the work of the late Chis McKinstry, creator of the Mindpixel project. As far as I've been able to determine, there is no copyright holder. I'll have more to say about this when the final book is prepared for publication, but for now I just want to make this acknowledgment.

I have made fair-use use of songs by Kate Bush, Leonard Cohen and Social Distortion, and I have borrowed themes, characters, and even a bit of prose here and there from George Orwell's 1984. Proper attribution will be given in the printed version.

I hope that if you like the book, you'll buy a printed copy or make a donation using Paypal. Cheeseburger and I could really use the money. Really.

This little story is dedicated to the memory of my late brother Paul Damien Sundman and of my late sister Maureen Sundman Angevine. I know that Paul liked the early chapters, and I think he would have liked the finished book. Maureen probably would have hated it--she didn't approve of blasphemy. But I like to think she's in heaven now, putting in a good word for me on the grounds that I'm too stupid to know any better.
You can even get a peek at the book's contents:
Here comes "The Pains," by me, John Damien Sundman, with illustrations by Cheeseburger Brown. The HTML version is [here]; the PDF version that will be used to create the printed book will be along soon. Feel free to read, save, print, copy and share among your friends.
So you can decide for yourself. A couple of other books by John - Acts of the Apostles, and Cheap Complex Devices - are there to take a look at, as well. Also, I encourage you to poke around the Wetmachine site just to get a better idea of where John and his Blogging friends are coming from and going to. And you may just like the Blog... I do.

Support The Blog!

I am going to be filing these under a convenient tag - "Support The Blog" - so you can find them all as they accumulate. I believe that when you support a fellow Blogger you are supporting everything you are fighting for. My next stops - yeah... I have been thinking about doing this for a while - are going to be in the heart of Liberal America and somewhere around Hooterville... Just so as you know. If you have any suggestions for future features feel free to contact me through my profile email and use the title "Support The Blog" so I can find it easily and pull it out of the spam box if it ends up there. By the way... You can always find something new to read over here. And thanks for reading this!

12/12/08

Are the Big Banks Completely Bankrupt?

Bob at Politics in the Zeros seems to think there is good reason to believe this is the case...

Jim Rogers is a legendary investor and partner of George Soros. He is known for being blunt, and, I’ve found from watching what he says, usually quite correct. He is now saying most major US banks are bankrupt.

And it it just gets worse from there in a back assward game of "theftocracy"...

12/11/08

GOP Declares War on American Economy

How else can you anyone view what they are doing right now?
Republicans spent the last eight years like drunken sailors on their first shore leave after years at sea. They wantonly drained the treasury of billions and billions of dollars on harebrained schemes to induce "birthpangs of democracy" around the world, chasing phantom enemies and enriching their defense contractor contributors. They created a lobbying culture so corrupt it finally collapsed of its own weight. They deregulated the financial industry so thoroughly that it created an elaborate ponzi scheme that has just about destroyed the world economy.

They have no standing to lecture anyone about responsibility, fiscal or otherwise, and no right to obstruct the cure for the problem they created.

It's true that Democrats have, over the years, enabled Republicans and helped their ideology to run amock. But right now they are all we've got and their intentions, quite clearly, are to keep the economy from tanking, if only out of self interest.
And, clearly shown, the GOP's hatred of the American worker... They blame you hard working Americans for the banking scams the GOP caused and that flushed this country down the drain.

Fortunately for us in this case... The GOP knows absolutely nothing about winning wars. See Afghanistan and Iraq.

Christianity as a Lifestyle Choice

That is what it is. You always hear them talking about personal choices and lifestyle choices of others.

For over seven minutes last night, Jon Stewart grilled former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee on his opposition to gay marriage. Huckabee is touring the country to promote his new book, “Do The Right Thing.” When Stewart compared gay marriage bans to interracial marriage bans, Huckabee restated his view that homosexuality is simply a behavior choice:

STEWART: Segregation used to be the law until the courts intervened.

HUCK: There’s a big difference between a person being black and a person practicing a lifestyle and engaging in a marital relationship.

STEWART: Okay, actually this is helpful because it gets to the crux of it. … And I’ll tell you this: Religion is far more of a choice than homosexuality. And the protections that we have for religion — we protect religion. And talk about a lifestyle choice — that is absolutely a choice. Gay people don’t choose to be gay. At what age did you choose to not be gay?

Huckabee tried to insist that “60 percent of the American population” opposes gay marriage. Stewart interrupted him, calling it a “travesty” that gay Americans have to plead for their civil rights... (READ ON)
The truth is that being gay or lesbian is not likely a lifestyle choice. The facts would seem to suggest that it is the way you were when you born - in pretty much the exact same way that you are born black, white, whatever, etc. - and environment may only be a factor in how it can effect the genetic code that people are born with. And not just no, but HELL NO! I am not going down that Nazi like road of eugenics to "eliminate or treat" what some of you crazies want to call a disease... That is just sick.

And even if it were a choice?

Who cares... Exercising free will, to make your own choice, is as much a right as it is a personal responsibility. Even according to the Bible, Free Will is a Divine Institution:

1.Free will, 2.Marriage, 3.Family, 4.Government etc.


Yeah... You hear a lot from the religious wing nuts about the "Divine Institution of Marriage" - the second divine institution...

But they conveniently choose to skip the First Divine Institution in their bankrupt arguments.


Free Will - The one God supposedly gave everyone to choose their own destiny.

Religion is quite simply and for certain nothing more than a lifestyle choice...


You aren't born that way. Even if you are a believer - God gave you the free will to choose to believe. In fact some of these religions make a big deal out of converting people into believers. Because. People. Were. Not. Born. That. Way.

They made a choice.

People choose their religions all the time. Often they change their choice of religion on a whim.

Often that religion of choice has clearly bigoted views that they would like to force upon the rest of the world. Anti-Marriage Equality views would be included there. It is no different than other bigoted religious views that have been argued for in the past:

The term "miscegenation" has been used since the nineteenth century to refer to interracial marriage and interracial sex, and more generally to the global process of racial admixture that has taken place since the Age of Discoveries, particularly through the European colonization of the Americas and the Atlantic slave trade. Historically the term has been used in the context of laws banning interracial marriage and sex, so-called anti-miscegenation laws. It is therefore a loaded word and is considered offensive by many.

Today, the word miscegenation is avoided by many scholars, because the term suggests a distinct biological phenomenon, rather than a categorization imposed on certain relationships. The word is considered offensive by many and other terms such as "interracial," "interethnic" or "cross-cultural" are more common in contemporary usage. However, the term is still used by scholars when referring to past practices concerning multiraciality, such as anti-miscegenation laws that banned interracial marriages.

Christians and their ever changing views on traditional marriage...

I am pretty sure most of them have given up the bigoted views against interracial marriages.

Huckabee talks about "5000 years of traditional marriage" based on his own personal lifestyle choice's rulebook - the Bible - but will, no doubt, refuse to accept what that loaded definition actually includes if implemented as law:

A. Marriage in the United States shall consist of a union between one man and one or more women. (Gen 29:17-28; II Sam 3:2-5)

B. Marriage shall not impede a man's right to take concubines in
addition to his wife or wives. (II Sam 5:13; I Kings 11:3; II Chron 11:21)

C. A marriage shall be considered valid only if the wife is a
virgin. If the wife is not a virgin, she shall be executed. (Deut 22:13-21)

D. Marriage of a believer and a non-believer shall be forbidden.
(Gen 24:3; Num 25:1-9; Ezra 9:12; Neh 10:30)

E. Since marriage is for life, neither this Constitution nor the constitution of any State, nor any state or federal law, shall be construed to permit divorce. (Deut 22:19; Mark 10:9)

F. If a married man dies without children, his brother shall marry the widow. If he refuses to marry his brother's widow or deliberately does not give her children, he shall pay a fine of one shoe and be otherwise punished in a manner to be determined by law. (Gen 38:6-10; Deut 25:5-10)

G. In lieu of marriage, if there are no acceptable men in your town, it is required that you get your dad drunk and have sex with him (even if he had previously offered you up as a sex toy to men young and old), tag-teaming with any sisters you may have. Of course, this rule applies only if you are female. (Gen 19:31-36)

Added to that list of new laws would be the many forms of rape marriage that are traditionally acceptable according to Huckabee's God and Bible...
Deuteronomy 22:28-29 NLT
If a man is caught in the act of raping a young woman who is not engaged, he must pay fifty pieces of silver to her father. Then he must marry the young woman because he violated her, and he will never be allowed to divorce her.

Just remember that these are precisely the views and lessons that have formed people like Mike Huckabee's "family values and morals" in the religious lifestyle choice they have made.

History will not be kind to you and yours, Huckster...

Time and time again these family values types have had to be forced to re-define their idea of traditional marriage because of what societies morals have defined as abhorrent practices. This time is no different than any of the other times. It truly sickens me that in a nation where all men are supposedly created equal... That we constantly have to sink down to these morally corrupt and repugnant people's level to argue for the most basic civil rights of other men and women. Their right to choose.

Those of you on the other side of these arguments - and I assure you, they are all the same arguments repeated over and over again - will be viewed in the history books as the bigots and haters that you are. But let's be clear on this...

That was your choice.

Not mine. My choice and belief would be that other people have no right to stick their noses in to the love lives, bedrooms and marriages of other adults. And I never had to ask for Mike Huckabee's or any one else, Gay, Lesbian, heterosexual, religious, atheist or other, for permission to get married - other than my wife-to-be at the time. All of you on the wrong side of this argument have been left with the freedom to choose your religion, your morals, your values and even your spouse.

The LGBT community deserves the same rights, the same freedoms guaranteed to them under the Constitution, to make all of these same choices without your 5000 years of traditionally misguided, immoral and bigoted input.

12/9/08

Open and Shut Case at Window and Door Factory

Or is that a Shut and Open Case in a very real class war?
A company managed by the wife of Republic Windows and Doors owner Richard Gillman recently purchased an Iowa plant that manufactures similar products, according to public records.

Gillman has come under fire in recent days for abruptly closing Republic's Goose Island plant and refusing to provide workers there with the 60 days notice and pay required by federal labor law.

Echo Windows and Doors was created two weeks ago and lists Sharon Gillman as its manager, according copies of records obtained by the Daily News from the Iowa Secretary of the State. According to Cook County property tax records, Sharon Gillman is Richard Gillman's wife.

The couple purchased a $2.6 million Oak Street condo together in 2007, according to property records.
This is emblematic of the heartwarming story of lifestyles of the rich and blameless:
The Los Angeles Times covers the story through the lens of the disconnect between Main Street and Wall Street:
Here, in this corner of the recession, the standoff between the workers and Bank of America has quickly evolved into a symbol of the divide between the financial rescue plans for Wall Street and Main Street.

and:
When they heard the news, some workers were furious. Others cried. Rangel panicked. His wife had been sick for weeks and had recently seen the family physician.

"I got a call from the doctors. The insurance company said they won't pay because the company canceled all our policies and didn't tell us," Rangel said. "I have a mortgage. I have a child. What do we do if he gets sick?"
While it wouldn't resolve the unethical behavior of people that run businesses in the same way as people like the Gillmans, single payer universal health care would help mitigate some of the inhumanity of it.

[update] In comment, from RBA at ePluribus Media:
So it turns out BofA may have been right in the first place: it's Republic's problem. Even so, BoA is 'extending credit' to Republic for the employees. 'Journamalism'. Gotta love it. Another story that got phoned in without deep background on the principals.
Get the feeling that BoA's new found interest in extending credit lies in a mix of CYA with the PR and wanting to be able to reason continuing business with the Gillmans and Ecko in Iowa? (Just taking a guess there...)

If it simply came down to the PR aspect I can't see them doing it. There has to be more of a profit motive behind it, IMHO. And YES! I am cynical. lol

Almost a month of same sex marriage in Connecticut...

and I have yet to see any negative effects on my marriage because of Marriage Equality...

Imagine that?

12/2/08

Medical Mafia Plans Continued Reign of Terror

So says the LA Times:
The answer, say leading groups of businesses, hospitals, doctors, labor unions and insurance companies -- as well as senior lawmakers on Capitol Hill and members of the new Obama administration -- is unprecedented government intervention to create a system of universal protection.

I find it hard to believe that all of these groups really have reached a consensus on how to proceed with the health insurance companies next round of "Hits" through their "Death By Spreadsheet" reign of terror on American citizens.

When health care insurance companies pay off the politicians to help continue the murderous reign of terror that is Death By Spreadsheet those two have officially joined in an unholy marriage to the medical mafia.

Let's take a look at single payer universal health care support... where the real consensus lies:

15,000 physicians urge enactment of single-payer system

A group of over 15,000 U.S. physicians has called on President-elect Barack Obama and the new Congress to “do the right thing” and enact a single-payer national health insurance plan, a system of public health care financing frequently characterized as “an improved Medicare for all.”

snip

“A solid majority of physicians endorse such an approach,” Young said. “An April 2008 study in the Annals of Internal Medicine shows 59 percent of U.S. physicians support national health insurance. Opinion polls show two-thirds of the public also supports such a remedy. Now, with strong political leadership, this reform is within reach.”
Organizations and Government
Bodies Endorsing HR 676

Medical Organizations

1. American Medical Student Association (AMSA) (link)

2. Falls City Medical Society, Kentucky

3. Kentucky Psychiatric Medical Association

4. Health Care for All Texas (link)

5. National Health Care for the Homeless Council (link)

6. Health Care for the Homeless, Inc. (link)

7. American Association of Community Psychiatrists

8. American Medical Women’s Association

9. National Medical Association

10. American Nurses Association

11. American Public Health Association

12. California Nurses Association/National Nurses Organizing Committee

13. National Association of Social Workers

Faith Organizations

1. Assembly of the Urban Caucus of the Episcopal Church

2. General Board on Global Ministries of the United Methodist Church

3. Presbyterian Health, Education and Welfare Association of the Presbyterian Church (USA)

4. Church Women United

State Governments

1. Kentucky House of Representatives

2. New Hampshire House of Representatives

Local Governments

1. Erie, PA

2. Baltimore, MD

3. Morehead, KY

4. Warren County, TN

5. Wilmington, DE

6. University City, MO

7. Lorain, OH

8. Oberlin, OH

9. Lorain County, OH

10. Louisville, KY

11. Santa Cruz, CA

12. Tuskeegee, AL

13. West Hollywood, CA

14. Ithaca, NY

15. Wilkinsburg, PA

16. Cortland County Legislature, NY

17. Bloomington, IN

18. Ulster County, NY

19. Indianapolis City-Marion County Council

20. Allegheny County, PA

21. Austin City Council, TX

22. Chicago, IL

23. Alachua County, FL

Political Organizations

1. Woolwich, Maine Democratic Committee

2. Single-Payer Action Network (SPAN), Ohio

3. Chester County Pennsylvania Democratic Committee

4. Meyerland Area Democratic Club , Houston, TX

5. West University Area Democrats, Houston, TX

Civic/Community Organizations

1. League of Women Voters

2. Americans for Democratic Action

3. US Public Interest Research Group

4. OWL

5. Peace, Living Wage, Universal Health Care Coalition (Wilmington, DE)

6. Women’s Community Cancer Project (Cambridge, MA)

7. Patriots for Change (Chagrin Falls, OH)

8. Consumer Federation of America

9. Consumers Union

10. National Council of Senior Citizens

11. National Family Farm Coalition

12. The U.S. Conference of Mayors

13. American Library Association

14. Results

Labor Organizations

State AFL-CIOs:

Alabama
Alaska
Arizona
Arkansas
California
Colorado
Connecticut
Delaware
Florida
Georgia
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Kentucky
Maine
Maryland-District of Columbia
Massachusetts
Michigan
Minnesota
Missouri
Montana
Nebraska
Nevada
New York
North Carolina
North Dakota
Ohio
Oklahoma
Oregon
Pennsylvania
South Carolina
South Dakota
Tennessee
Texas
Vermont
Washington
West Virginia
Wisconsin
Wyoming

Resolutions endorsing HR 676, Universal Single Payer Health Care, have been passed by the following union organizations:

1. Duluth (Minnesota) AFL-CIO Central Labor Body

2. American Federation of Government Employees Local 2028, Pittsburgh, PA, representing 1,700 nurses, other professionals & service workers at two Veterans Administration Hospitals

3. Plumbers and Steamfitters HVAC, Local 188, United Association, Savannah, GA.

4. United Steelworkers of America, Local 1693, Louisville, KY, amalgamated local representing 1,700 workers

5. Local 2322, United Automobile Workers, representing 3,800 workers in Holyoke, Massachusetts

6. Washington Alliance of Technology Workers (WashTech), Communications Workers of America (CWA), Local 37083, Seattle, WA

7. Local 576, Laborers’ International Union of North America (LIUNA), Louisville, KY

8. United Association of Plumbers and Pipefitters, Local 630, West Palm Beach, FL

9. Coalition of Labor Union Women (CLUW), National Convention, Oct. 2003

10. Coalition of Black Trade Unionists (CBTU), National Convention, May 2006

11. Jefferson County Teachers’ Association (National Education Association), representing teachers in the public school system, Louisville, KY

12. American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Local 2629, AFL-CIO, representing Louisville Metro Government Employees, Louisville, KY

13. Northwest Indiana Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO, Hammond, IN

14. Paper, Allied-Industrial, Chemical, Energy International Union (PACE) Local 5-2002, Louisville, KY

15. United Steelworkers of America, Local 6787, representing over 3,000 steelworkers in Burns Harbor, IN

16. Local 506, United Electrical Workers, Erie, PA, representing 4,000 workers at GE.

17. Plumbers, Steamfitters, and Refrigeration Fitters, Local 393, AFL-CIO, San Jose, CA.

18. California State Pipe Trades Council, United Association, AFL-CIO, Sacramento, CA

19. Local 576 Laborers’ International Union Retirees’ Council, LIUNA, AFL-CIO, Louisville, KY

20. Nurses Professional Organization, Louisville, KY

21. Independent State Store Union (ISSU) Harrisburg, PA

22. Local 2320, United Automobile Workers, Chicago, Illinois, representing nearly 4,000 workers across the country, primarily in legal services and human services.

23. Washington Chapter 10, The Retired Public Employees’ Council of Washington, AFSCME, Convention September 2004.

24. Steelworkers Active Organization of Retirees (SOAR) Chapter 31-9, Chicago, IL

25. Local 3310, Communications Workers of America (CWA), representing workers at Bell South in Louisville, KY

26. St. Joe Valley Project Jobs with Justice, South Bend,
IN

27. United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers (UE), Pittsburgh, PA

28. American Guild of Musical Artists (AGMA), Chicago/Midwest Region

29. California Nurses Association/National Nurses Organizing Committee, Oakland, CA

30. National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC), Branch 84, Pittsburgh, PA

31. Local Lodge 794, International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM), Albuquerque, NM

32. South Bay AFL-CIO Labor Council, San Jose, CA, April 2005

33. Community Action Program (CAP), 3rd & 4th Areas, Kentucky, United Automobile Workers (UAW)

34. Community Action Program (CAP), Southern Indiana, United Automobile Workers (UAW)

35. Local 1375, United Steelworkers of America (USWA), Warren, OH, April 19, 2005

36. Western Connecticut Central Labor Council, Waterbury, CT

37. Local 619, Graphic Communications Conference/IBT, Louisville, KY

38. Local 409, Plumbers and Pipefitters, United Association, San Luis Obispo, CA

39. Local 6355, Communications Workers of America (CWA), Missouri State Workers Union

40. District Council 62, American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) representing public employees in Indiana and Kentucky, October, 2005.

41. Kentucky State AFL-CIO, Convention, October 2005

42. Local 6000, United Auto Workers (UAW), State of Michigan Employees, Region 1A, Retiree Chapter

43. Local #36, Sheet Metal Workers, St. Louis, Missouri

44. New York Professional Nurses Union (NYPNU), New York, NY

45. Central New Mexico Labor Council, Albuquerque, NM

46. Building and Construction Trades Council of St. Louis, AFL-CIO, St. Louis, MO

47. Washington State Alliance for Retired Americans

48. Metropolitan Detroit AFL-CIO Central Labor Council

49. Southeast Missouri Building and Construction Trades Council, Cape Girardeau, MO

50. District Council 5, American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, AFSCME, St. Paul, Minnesota

51. Local 2222, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), Boston, MA. Representing 4000 Verizon workers in the Greater Boston area.

52. South Central Federation of Labor, Madison, Wisconsin

53. Local 675, United Steelworkers (USW), Carson, CA, representing workers in Southern California and Nevada

54. Greater St. Louis Labor Council, AFL-CIO, St. Louis, Missouri

55. Allegheny County Labor Council, AFL-CIO, Pittsburgh, PA

56. Division 4, Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET), Rail Conference, IBT, Toledo, OH

57. Steelworkers Organization of Active Retirees (SOAR), Chapter 20-20, Aliquippa, PA

58. Local 2320, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), Manchester, NH

59. Local 2321, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), North Andover, MA

60. Local 2322, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), Middleboro, MA

61. Local 2323, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), Cranston, RI

62. Local 2324, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), Springfield, MA

63. Local 2325, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), Northborough, MA

64. Local 2326, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), Essex Junction, VT

65. Local 2327, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), Augusta, ME

66. Kentucky Jobs with Justice, Louisville, KY

67. Lorain County AFL-CIO Federation of Labor, Lorain, OH

68. Beaver-Lawrence Central Labor Council, AFL-CIO, Beaver, PA

69. Troy Area Labor Council, AFL-CIO, Troy, NY

70. Southwestern Illinois Building & Construction Trades Council Collinsville, IL

71. United University Professions, Local 2190 AFT, New York State United Teachers Albany, NY

72. Cleveland AFL-CIO Retiree Council, Cleveland, OH

73. Toledo Area Jobs with Justice, Toledo, OH

74. Washington State Machinist Council, International Association of Machinists District #160 (IAM), Seattle,
WA

75. Greater Louisville Building & Construction Trades Council, Louisville, KY

76. Pittsburgh Airman Lodge 1044, International Association of Machinists & Aerospace Workers (IAM), Pittsburgh, PA

77. Santa Clara & San Benito Counties Building & Construction Trades Council, San Jose, CA

78. Local 21 NABET/CWA, National Association of Broadcast Employees and Technicians (NABET)/Communications Workers of America (CWA), Albany, NY

79. Massachusetts State CAP Council, United Auto Workers (UAW)

80. 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East, MD, DC, NY State, MA
New York,
NY

81. AFSCME Retiree Chapter 36, Los Angeles, CA

82. Local 829 United Steelworkers (USW), Owosso, MI

83. Local 2-591 United Steelworkers (USW), Riverview, MI

84. PEF/encon Albany Steward Council (Public Employees Federation/encon) representing Professional, Scientific and Technical employees at the New York State Dept. of Environmental Conservation, Albany, NY.

85. North Central Florida Central Labor Council, Gainesville, FL

86. Ashtabula AFL-CIO Retiree Council, Ashtabula, OH

87. Ashtabula AFL-CIO Labor Council, Ashtabula, OH

88. Cleveland Painters District Council 6 Retiree Council, Cleveland, OH

89. Local 1000, American Federation of Musicians (AFM), New York, NY

90. Local 524, International Alliance of Theatrical and Stage Employees (IATSE), lens Falls-Saratoga, NY

91. Greater Westmoreland County Labor Council, Greensburg, PA

92. AFSCME Retirees, Chapter 1184, Sub-Chapter 109, Northwest Ohio

93. Albany Central Federation of Labor, Albany, NY

94. Butler County United Labor Council, Butler, PA

95. Solidarity Committee of the Capital District, 302 Centre Dr, Albany NY 12206

96. International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers (IFPTE) Local 17, Seattle, WA

97. North Shore Federation of Labor, Cleveland, OH

98. Local 6000, United Auto Workers (UAW), Michigan State Employees, Lansing, MI

99. Local 196, United Steelworkers (USW), Trenton, MI

100. Local 825, Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU), River Edge, NJ

101. Steelworker Organization of Active Retirees (SOAR) Chapter 36-1, Gadsden, AL

102. Tri-County Council of Labor, AFL-CIO, Henderson, KY

103. Greater Bangor Area Central Labor Council, Bangor, ME

104. Pittsburgh Chapter, Coalition of Labor Union Women (CLUW), Pittsburgh, PA

105. Philadelphia Chapter, Coalition of Labor Union Women (CLUW), Philadelphia, PA

106. Organization of Staff Analysts (OSA/RT), New York, NY

107. District Council 37, American Federation of State, County & Municipal Employees (AFSCME) New York City, NY

108. United Steelworkers (USW) Region X Spring Conference, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin, North Dakota, South Dakota, March 2006.

109. Pennsylvania AFL-CIO, State Convention, April 6, 2006.

110. Branch 3126, National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC), Royal Oak, MI.

111. San Francisco Web Pressmen & Prepress Workers Union Local 4N, IBT/Graphic Communications Conference

112. Ohio State Legislative Board, Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers & Trainmen (BLET), Rail Conference, IBT, Columbus, OH

113. Greater Louisville Central Labor Council, AFL-CIO, Louisville, KY, April 2006.

114. Steelworker Organization of Active Retirees (SOAR) Chapter 9-36 F 5, Cape Coral, FL

115. Steelworker Organization of Active Retirees (SOAR) Chapter 9-UR 7, Hickman, KY

116. Steelworker Organization of Active Retirees (SOAR) Chapter 36-2, Gardendale, AL

117. Steelworker Organization of Active Retirees (SOAR) Chapter 9-ABG 1, Kingsport, TN

118. Steelworker Organization of Active Retirees (SOAR) Chapter 9-UR 1, Harvest, AL

119. Steelworker Organization of Active Retirees (SOAR) Chapter Local 200 Retirees, Iuka, MS

120. Theatrical Protective Union (TPU) Local One, International Alliance of Theatrical Stage
Employes, Moving Picture Technicians, Artists and Allied Crafts (IATSE), New York City,
Westchester and Putnam Counties

121. Toledo Area AFL-CIO Council, Toledo, OH

122. Hudson Valley Area Labor Federation, Newburgh, NY

123. District 1199P, SEIU, Harrisburg, PA

124. Local 1155, UAW, Birmingham, AL

125. Lodge 1145, IAM, Selkirk and DeWitt, NY

126. Local 2334, AFT, Professional Staff Congress-CUNY, New York City, NY

127. Dayton, Springfield, Sidney, Miami Valley AFL-CIO Regional Labor Council, Dayton, OH

128. Bergen County Central Trades & Labor Council, Paramus, NJ

129. Local Lodge 141, International Association of Machinists (IAM), representing airline workers at Northwest, United, Southwest, and Alaska. Detroit, MI

130. Local 1549,
AFSCME, representing 19,000 clerical and administrative workers for the City of New York

131. Local 1180, Communications Workers of America (CWA), New York, NY

132. Retirees Association of District Council 37, AFSCME, New York, NY

133. Steelworkers Organization of Active Retirees (SOAR) Chapter 30-18, Plymouth, Indiana

134. United Steelworkers, USW District 7, Sub-District 4, Northern Indiana

135. United Steelworkers, USW Local 12775, Portage, Indiana

136. International Longshore & Warehouse Union (ILWU), San Francisco, CA, International Convention, May, 2006

137. Retirees Council, Bergen County Central Trades and Labor Council, AFL-CIO, Paramus, NJ

138. American Postal Workers Union (APWU), Michigan State Convention, May, 2006

139. Local 544, United Auto Workers (UAW), Fisher Body, West Mifflin, PA

140. Northern Kentucky Central Labor Council, Covington, KY

141. CIRSU, New York, NY

142. Local Union 1183, United Automobile Workers, Newark, DE

143. North Bay Labor Council, AFL-CIO, Santa Rosa, CA

144. Greater Glens Falls Central Labor Council, Glens Falls, NY
Warren, Washington, Hamilton, and Northern Saratoga Counties

145. Local 50, Plumbers and Steamfitters, United Association (UA), Northwood, OH

146. Local 668, Service Employees International Union (SEIU), Harrisburg, PA

147. North Florida Central Labor Council, Jacksonville, FL

148. District Lodge 112, International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM), Jacksonville, FL

149. Pima Area Labor Federation, Tucson, AZ

150. Florida State Alliance for Retired Americans

151. Lodge 721, IAM, Jacksonville, FL

152. Austin Central Labor Council, Austin, Texas

153. Unified Union Partners, made up of union presidents from VISN 4 (Veterans Integrated Service Network) which includes 10 Veterans Administration hospitals and several VA community based outpatient clinics (CBOCs) in PA, Wilmington, DE, and Clarksburg, WV.

154. United Automobile Workers, International Union Convention, June 2006

155. Plumbers Local Union #17, United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing and Pipe Fitting Industry (UA), Memphis, TN

156. Western Kentucky AFL-CIO Area Council, Paducah, KY

157. San Francisco Central Labor Council, San Francisco, CA

158. National Education Association (NEA), July 2006

159. Connecticut AFL-CIO, June 2006

160. Local Union 295, United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing and Pipe Fitting Industry (UA), Daytona Beach, FL

161. Ohio AFL-CIO, July 19, 2006, at Convention in Cincinnati

162. Central New York Labor Council, Utica, NY

163. Local 2313, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), Hanover, MA

164. Hawkeye Labor Council, Cedar Rapids, IA

165. Plumbers, Pipefitters and Service Technicians Local 502, United Association of Journeymen and
Apprentices of the Plumbing and Pipe Fitting Industry of the United States and Canada,
Louisville,
KY

166. Local 1L, Amalgamated Lithographers of America, Graphic Communications
Conference/International Brother of Teamsters (GCC/IBT Local 1L), New Jersey

167. Central Trades & Labor Council, AFL-CIO, Cape Girardeau, MO

168. Local Union 136, Plumbers & Steamfitters, United Association, Evansville, IN

169. San Bernardino/Riverside Counties Central Labor Council AFL-CIO, Riverside, CA

170. United Association of Journeymen & Apprentices of the Plumbing & Pipe Fitting
Industry of the United States & Canada (UA), International Convention, August 9, 2006

171. Washington-Orange-Lamoille Labor Council, AFL-CIO, Montpelier, VT

172. North Dakota AFL-CIO, Bismarck, ND, State Convention, August 2006

173. Delaware State AFL-CIO, Newark, DE, endorsed August 2006

174. Washington State Labor Council, representing 500 local unions with 400,000 members, endorsing
resolution passed at State Convention, August 2006, Seattle,
WA

175. Steelworkers Organization of Active Retirees (SOAR), Chapter 11-3, St. Louis, MO.

176. Local 547, International Union of Operating Engineers, Detroit, MI

177. Mercer County Central Labor Council, Mercer County, NJ

178. South Carolina State AFL-CIO, 50th Annual Convention, September, 2006

179. Local 3, Service Employees International Union (SEIU), Pittsburgh, PA

180. Burlington County Central Labor Union, Riverside, NJ

181. Wyoming State AFL-CIO, Cheyenne, WY

182. Vermont State Labor Council AFL-CIO, Montpelier, VT, September 2006, State Convention

183. National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC), International Union, Washington, DC

184. Ohio Alliance for Retired Americans (ARA), State Convention, September 2006

185. Champlain Valley Labor Council, Burlington, VT

186. North West Washington Central Labor Council, Bellingham, WA

187. Florida AFL-CIO, Tallahassee, FL

188. Essex-West Hudson Labor Council AFL-CIO, Newark, NJ

189. Local 9, Plumbers and Pipefitters, UA, Englishtown, NJ

190. Local 995, United Steelworkers (USW), Follansbee, WV

191. Jackson/Hillsdale Counties Central Labor Council, AFL-CIO, Jackson, MI

192. Wisconsin State AFL-CIO, State Convention, September 2006, Milwaukee, WI

193. Local 6186, Texas State Employees Union/Communications Workers of America, (TSEU/CWA)
Austin,
TX, September, 2006

194. West Central Florida Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO, Tampa, FL, Oct. 3, 2006

195. West Virginia AFL-CIO, Charleston, WV

196. Harrisburg Region Central Labor Council, Harrisburg, PA

197. Southern Maine Labor Council, AFL-CIO, Portland, ME Oct. 4, 2006

198. Ohio Steelworkers Organization of Active Retirees (SOAR), State Conference, Oct. 9, 2006

199. Branch 82, National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) Portland, OR

200. South Dakota AFL-CIO, State Convention, Oct. 7, 2006, Sioux Falls, SD

201. Wabash Valley Central Labor Council, Terre Haute, IN, Sep. 20, 2006

202. Branch 104, National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC), Lawrence, KS

203. North Carolina State AFL-CIO, Convention Resolution 14, September 2006

204. West Virginia Brooke-Hancock Central Labor Council, Newell, WV

205. Boulder Area Labor Council, Boulder, CO

206. Passaic Central Labor Council, Clifton, NJ

207. Local 327, Laborers’ International Union of North America (LIUNA), August, ME

208. Chicago & Midwest Regional Joint Board, UNITE HERE, Chicago, IL

209. Hudson County Central Labor Council AFL-CIO, Jersey City, NJ

210. Missouri AFL-CIO, Jefferson City, MO

211. White River Central Labor Council, Bloomington, IN

212. District Council 1, International Union of Painters and Allied Trades (IUPAT), Denver, CO

213. Minnesota AFL-CIO, November 29, 2006

214. Michigan State AFL-CIO Women’s Council

215. Local 8498, United Steelworkers (USW), Winston-Salem, NC

216. United Labor Council of Reading and Berks County, Reading, PA

217. Massachusetts Nurses Association, Quincy, MA

218. Greater Madison County Federation of Labor, Granite City, IL

219. Rochester and Vicinity Labor Council, AFL-CIO, Rochester, NY

220. Local Union 176, United Steelworkers (USW), Rochester, MI

221. Local Union 314, United Steelworkers (USW), Detroit, MI

222. Local Union 389, United Steelworkers (USW), Detroit, MI

223. Local Union 2659, United Steelworkers (USW), Southgate, MI

224. Local Union 9491, United Steelworkers (USW), Hamburg, MI

225. Middlesex County AFL-CIO Labor Council, North Brunswick, NJ

226. Northeastern Oklahoma Central Labor Council, Tulsa, OK

227. Rochester and Genesee Valley Area Labor Federation, AFL-CIO, encompasses 10 county region,
parent body of 4 labor councils {Rochester and Vicinity (Monroe), Steuben-Livingston, Northern Finger Lakes (Wayne, Ontario), and Chemung-Yates}, Rochester,
NY

228. Minnesota Association of Professional Employees (MAPE), St Paul, MN

229. Local 73, Service Employees International Union (SEIU), Chicago, IL

230. Electrical Workers Minority Caucus (IBEW)

231. Monroe/Lenawee County AFL-CIO Council, Monroe, MI

232. Local 2164, United Auto Workers (UAW), Bowling Green, KY

233. Local 264, Transport Workers Union (TWU), New York, NY

234. New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA), New York

235. Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 1589, Long Beach, CA

236. Local 2779, American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), Gainesville, FL

237. Detroit A. Phillip Randolph Institute, Detroit, MI

238. Greater Lansing Labor Council, Lansing, MI, Feb. 7, 2007

239. Local 5668, United Steelworkers (USW), Ravenswood, WV, Feb. 5, 2007

240. Central Maine Labor Council, Waterville, ME

241. Pennsylvania Association of Staff Nurses and Allied Professionals (PASNAP), Conshohocken, PA

242. Northeast Central Labor Council AFL-CIO, Franklin, Clinton, & Essex Counties, Plattsburgh, NY

243. Local 546M, Graphic Communications Conference, GCC/IBT, Cleveland, OH
244. Southern Dakota County Labor Council, Apple Valley,
MN

245. Texas Alliance for Retired Americans (ARA) Austin, TX

246. Cincinnati AFL-CIO Labor Council, Cincinnati, OH

247. Retirees Club, Local 848, United Auto Workers (UAW), Grand Prairie, TX

248. Maine State Building & Construction Trades Council, Clinton, ME

249. Capital District Area Labor Federation, 11 NY counties including Albany, Schenectady, Troy,
Glens Falls, and Saratoga. Albany,
NY

250. District 3, Missouri Nurses Association (MONA), St. Louis, MO

251. Committee of Presidents, National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC), Washington, DC

252. Western Maine Central Labor Council AFL-CIO, Lewiston, ME

253. AFM Local 802, Association of Musicians of Greater New York, New York, NY

254. Smith County Central Labor Council, Tyler, TX

255. Savannah Regional Central Labor Council, Savannah, GA

256. Southern Iowa Labor Council, AFL-CIO, Ottumwa, IA

257. New Jersey State Industrial Union Council, Edison, NJ

258. International Union of Painters & Allied Trades District Council #4, Cheektowaga, NY

259. San Mateo County Central Labor Council, Foster City, CA

260. UAW Local 909, United Automobile Workers, Detroit, MI

261. International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAMAW) District Lodge 34,
Columbus,
OH

262. Central Connecticut Labor Council, Meriden, CT

263. Local Lodge 956 IAMAW, Archbold, OH

264. Western Maryland Central Labor Council, Cumberland, MD

265. Local 28 United Brotherhood of Carpenters (UBC), Missoula, MT

266. Local 2222 Communications Workers of America (CWA), Annandale, VA

267. Palm Beach-Treasure Coast AFL-CIO, Riviera Beach, FL
268. Maine State
AFL-CIO, Bangor, ME

269. Local 862, UAW, Louisville, KY

270. Maine Council of United Steelworkers USW representing 22 locals in Maine

271. Michigan State Association of Letter Carriers, MSALC, NALC

272. Teamsters Local Union 559 (IBT), South Windsor, CT

273. Northern Virginia Central Labor Council, Annandale, VA

274. Local 1120 Communications Workers of America (CWA), Poughkeepsie, NY

275. Wichita/Hutchinson Labor Federation of Central Kansas, Wichita, KS

276. Greater Green Bay Labor Council, Green Bay, WI

277. Arkansas AFL-CIO, State Federation, Little Rock, AR

278. Local 561 Transport Workers Union (TWU), Virginia Gardens, FL

279. CANEL Lodge 700 International Association of Machinists (IAM) Pratt & Whitney,
Higganum,
CT

280. International Association of Machinists District 26, Connecticut & Rhode Island

281. Connecticut State Council of Machinists of the IAMAW, CT

282. Greyhound Lodge 759 IAM, Jacksonville, FL

283. Local Lodge 1502, IAMAW, Superior, WI

284. Local Lodge 621, IAMAW, Ashland, WI

285. Local 3106, CWA, Jacksonville, FL

286. Maryland State and District of Columbia AFL-CIO, Annapolis, MD

287. SEIU—United Healthcare Workers West, Oakland, CA

288. American Federation of Musicians of the United States and Canada, 97th Convention, June 2007

289. Washington County Central Labor Council, Kewaskum, Slinger, Fond du Lac, WI

290. United Steelworkers, District 7, Sub-District 1, Chicago, IL

291. Big Sky Central Labor Council, Helena, MT

292. American Federation of Teachers (AFT) Local 212, Milwaukee, WI

293. San Antonio AFL-CIO Council, San Antonio, TX

294. Greater Hartford Central Labor Council, Hartford, CT

295. United Steelworkers (USW), Local 9777, Bridgeview, IL

296. United Steelworkers (USW), Local 1899, Granite City, IL

297. United Steelworkers (USW), Local 1636, Aurora, IL

298. Washington State Building and Construction Trades Council, Olympia, WA

299. Texas AFL-CIO, Austin, TX

300. Southwestern District Labor Council, Huntington, WV

301. Westchester/Putnam Counties Central Labor Body, AFL-CIO, White Plains, NY

302. Texas Building & Construction Trades Council, Austin, TX

303. El Paso Central Labor Union, El Paso, TX

304. Utah Jobs with Justice, Salt Lake City, UT

305. Big Bend Chapter, Northwest Florida Federation of Labor, Tallahassee, FL

306. Iowa Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO, Des Moines, IA

307. Local 477, International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE), Miami, FL

308. Monongalia-Preston Labor Council, Morgantown, WV

309. Local 1445 United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW), Dedham, MA

310. International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM), Upper Marlboro, MD

311. Local 40, United Brotherhood of Carpenters & Joiners (UBC), Cambridge, MA

312. Arizona AFL-CIO, Phoenix, AZ

313. Alliance for Retired Americans, Washington, DC

314. Local Unions attending the Regional Council of United Steelworkers (USW)
in 11 western states,
AK, AZ, CA, CO, HI, ID, NM, NV, OR, UT, WA, Sept. 10, 2007

315. Tennessee AFL-CIO, Convention September 2007

316. Pierce County Central Labor Council, Tacoma, WA

317. Central Ohio Labor Council, AFL-CIO, Columbus, OH

318. Pioneer Valley AFL-CIO Central Labor Council, Springfield, MA

319. Local 689 Amalgamated Transit Union, Washington, DC

320. Local 194 International Federation of Professional & Technical Engineers AFL-CIO, Milltown, NJ

321. United Steelworkers Local 12-593 (USW), Magna, UT

322. Springfield and Central Illinois Trades and Labor Council, AFL-CIO, Springfield, IL

323. Coastal Bend Central Labor Council, Corpus Christi, TX

324. Local Lodge 112, International Association of Machinists (IAMAW), Center City, MN

325. New York State Public Employees Federation (NYSPEF), affiliated with AFL-CIO, AFT,
and
SEIU. Convention, September, 2008. Albany, NY

326. South Florida AFL-CIO, Doral, FL

327. United Association Local 699, Sprinkler Fitters and Apprentices, Seattle, WA

328. Greater Boston Labor Council, Boston, MA

329. Michigan AFSCME Council 25, Lansing, MI

330. Southern Oregon Jobs with Justice, Ashland, OR

331. Portland Community College Faculty Federation, AFT Local 2277, Portland, OR

332. Oregon AFL-CIO, Salem, OR

333. Public Service Workers Union, UE Local 160, Williamsburg, VA

334. C. W. Post Collegial Federation, Local 3517, NYSUT, AFT, Brookville, NY

335. Ohio State Council of Machinists, IAMAW, Cleveland, OH

336. Georgia AFL-CIO, Atlanta, GA

337. AFSCME Council 36, Los Angeles, CA

338. District 7, United Steelworkers of America (USW), Chicago, IL

339. National Legislative Committee for the Tenth Quadrennial Constitutional Convention, United
Transportation Union (UTU)

340. Oklahoma AFL-CIO, Oklahoma City, OK

341. Charleston Central Labor Council, Charleston, SC

342. American Postal Workers Union Local 458, Portland, ME

343. Kansas AFL-CIO, Topeka, KS

344. Illinois Federation of Teachers Universities Council

345. University Professionals of Illinois Local 4100 IFT/AFT/AFL-CIO, Chicago, IL

346. Colorado AFL-CIO, Denver, CO

347. Branch 4374, South Macomb Letter Carriers, NALC, Roseville, MI

348. Indiana AFL-CIO, Indianapolis, IN

349. Local 2-540 United Steelworkers USW, Alma, MI

350. Long Island University Faculty Federation, Local 3998, NYSUT/AFT, Brooklyn, NY

351. Southern Colorado Labor Council, Pueblo, CO

352. Sailors’ Union of the Pacific, San Francisco, CA

353. Local 502, Coastal Carolina Association of Professional Musicians, AmericanFederationofMusicians (AFM), Charleston, SC

354. Transport Workers Union, Local 564 TWU, El Segundo, CA

355. Branch 14, National Association of Letter Carriers NALC, Louisville, KY

356. Local 5 International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU), Portland, OR

357. Oregon Area District Council, ILWU, Portland, OR

358. Portland Jobs with Justice, Portland, OR

359. Local 1535 AFSCME, Baltimore, MD

360. Northwestern Ohio Building and Construction Trades Council, Toledo, OH

361. United Academics, AAUP/AFT Local 4996, University of Alaska System, Anchorage, AK

362. Local 2026, Faculty and Staff Federation of Community College of Philadelphia (AFT) Philadelphia, PA

363. Alabama AFL-CIO, Montgomery, AL

364. Local 1837, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), Manchester, ME

365. United Automobile Workers Local 3303 (UAW), Butler, PA

366. California Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO, Oakland, CA

367. Retiree Chapter, Local 3303 UAW, Butler, PA

368. Local 3, University Professional & Technical Employees, UPTE-CWA 9119, Santa Cruz, CA

369. Juneau & Vicinity Building and Construction Trades Council, Juneau, AK

370. Minnesota State Council of Machinists, IAMAW, Vadnais Heights, MN

371. Local 1421, United Electrical Workers (UE), Pomona, CA

372. New Jersey State Federation of Teachers (AFT), Edison, NJ

373. Local 32 BJ, SEIU, Baltimore, MD

374. Local 31-N, GCC-IBT Teamsters, Baltimore, MD

375. International Organization Masters, Mates, & Pilots, AFL-CIO, Linthicum, MD

376. UNITE-HERE Mid Atlantic, Baltimore, MD

377. Baltimore Francis Stu Filbey Area Local, American Postal Workers Union (APWU),
Baltimore,
MD

378. Local 8-1165, United Steelworkers (USW), Baltimore, MD

379. Alaska AFL-CIO, Anchorage, AK

380. California Federation of Teachers (AFT), Burbank, CA

381. International Federation of Professional & Technical Engineers (IFPTE), AFL-CIO,
Silver Spring,
MD

382. Sheet Metal Workers International Association (SMWIA), AFLCIO, Washington, DC

383. Local 900, United Steelworkers (USW), Rumford, ME

384. Communications Workers of America Local 9423 (CWA), San Jose, CA

385. United Steelworkers of America Local 10-1, USW, Linwood, PA

386. Office and Professional Employees International Union, OPEIU, NY, NY & Washington, DC
387. Tri-County Labor Council, Mount Upton,
NY

388. California School Employees Association (CSEA), AFL-CIO, San Jose, CA

389. Greater Santa Cruz Federation of Teachers AFT 2030, Santa Cruz, CA

390. Chemung/Schuyler Labor Assembly, AFL-CIO, Elmira, NY

391. Cayuga County Labor Council, Auburn, NY

392. United Transportation Union (UTU) International Convention, Cleveland, OH

393. University Professional and Technical Employees—CWA 9119, Berkeley & Los Angeles, CA

394. Local 1501, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), Cockeysville, MD

395. The United Educators of San Francisco, CFT/AFT #61, CTA/NEA, San Francisco, CA

396. Local 773, United Association of Plumbers (UA), South Glens Falls, NY

397. Los Angeles County Federation of Labor AFL-CIO, Los Angeles, CA

398. North Shore Central Labor Council, Lynn, MA

399. Local 223 Utility Workers Union of America (UWUA), Dearborn, MI

400. Laborers Local #210, LIUNA, Cheektowaga, NY

401. Local 621, United Workers of America, Island Park, NY

402. UAW Local 3044, Rockport, IN

403. New Hampshire State Building and Construction State Council, Hooksett, NH

404. Chicago Teachers Union, Local 1 AFT/IFT/AFL-CIO, Chicago, IL

405. Local Union 1447, Amalgamated Transit Union, Louisville, KY

406. Steel Council of the United Auto Workers

407. Merrimack Valley Central Labor Council AFL-CIO, Lowell, MA

408. Local 543, International Association of Machinists (IAM), Baltimore, MD

409. Cattaraugus Allegany Counties Central Labor Council, Cattaraugus, NY

410. Southern Oregon Central Labor Council, Central Point, OR

411. Philadelphia Council of the AFL-CIO, Philadelphia, PA

412. National Writers Union UAW Local 1981, New York, NY

413. Central Labor Council of Humboldt-Del Norte Counties, Eureka, CA

414. NYSUT-Rensselaer-Columbia-Greene Co. BOCES Teachers Association, East Schodack, NY

415. Norfolk County Labor Council, AFL-CIO, Braintree, MA

416. Plymouth-Bristol Central Labor Council, AFL-CIO, Brockton, MA

417. North Carolina’s State Federation Unit of the American Federation of Teachers AFT/NC, NC

418. Field Staff Association FSA, Delmar, NY

419. Southern Oregon Area Local, American Postal Workers Union (APWU), Medford, OR

420. Brookline Educators Union, MTA, NEA, Brookline, MA

421. Crawford/Richland Central Labor Council, Mansfield, OH

422. Austin Community College/American Federation of Teachers, Local 6249, Austin, TX

423. Jefferson Elementary Federation of Teachers, AFT Local 3267, Daly City, CA

424. Indiana Federation of Teachers, Indianapolis, IN

425. Teamsters Local 805 IBT, Long Island City, NY

426. Local 716 United Association of Plumbers and Pipefitters UA, Augusta, ME

427. International Longshore and Warehouse Union, Local 6 (ILWU), Oakland, CA

428. San Diego Building and Construction Trades Council, San Diego, CA

429. United Steelworkers Local Union 1026 USW, Canton, NY

430. Local 165 National Association of Letter Carriers NALC, Frewsburg, NY

431. AFT Seattle Community Colleges, Local 1789, Seattle, WA

432. Western NY Area Local 183, American Postal Workers Union APWU, Delevan, NY

433. GFT, Guam’s Local Union, affiliated with AFL-CIO as AFT Local 1581, Hagatna, Guam

434. United Steelworkers Local 207 L (USW), Findlay, OH

435. International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local Union 770 (IBEW), Glenmont, NY

436. IATSE Local 297, San Diego, CA

437. Kent-Ionia Central Labor Council, Grand Rapids, MI

438. Carpenters Local 22, United Brotherhood of Carpenters & Joiners, San Francisco, CA

439. Ashland Area Central Labor Council, Ashland, KY

440. Pacific Coast Marine Firemen, Oilers, Watertenders and Wipers Association, San Francisco, CA

441. Michigan State AFL-CIO, Lansing, MI

442. Plumbers and Steamfitters Local Union 47, Monaca, PA

443. Service Employees International Union, SEIU, Washington, DC

444. GCC/IBT Local 612M, West Caldwell, NJ

445. Professional Staff Union Locals 751 and 754, Massachusetts Teachers Association, University of Massachusetts, Amherst and Boston, MA

446. Montana AFL-CIO, Helena, MT

447. American Federation of Teachers (AFT), Washington, DC

448. Colorado State Building and Construction Trades Council, Lakewood, CO

449. United Steelworkers (USW), Pittsburgh, PA

450. Greater Syracuse Labor Council, AFL-CIO, Syracuse, NY

451. Nebraska State AFL-CIO, Omaha, NE

452. Musicians Union Local 6, American Federation of Musicians (AFM), San Francisco, CA

453. AFSCME Local 1212; Child Care Providers Together, Des Moines, IA

454. AFSCME Local 3214, Albertina Kerr Center Employees of Lane County, Eugene, OR

There are a lot of things that you can try and tell me...

But don't try and tell me there is some kind of real consensus on an issue when there hasn't even been any real public discussions beyond the backroom dealings of lobbyists and government officials trading hush money for votes in support of continued Death By Spreadsheet.

Good stories, good data (PDF), via Health Care Now:

At a time when 47 million American people are uninsured and 80 million more Americans have inadequate coverage, these expressions of suffering–posted to our online petition–document the experiences of people in the midst of this health care crisis. In a society that can attribute 101,000 unnecessary deaths each year to problems with our health insurance system and lack of preventative care, these are the voices of just a few of the victims.

Plus, with single payer you save $350 billion a year. Really, what's not to like?

Unless the insurance company business model of denying care made you rich, of course. There' that.

The medical mafia that supports this kind of murder that goes on around you daily. They are criminals. Murderers. And none of them deserve to sit at the table to negotiate your life and health.

And yeah... I am talking to you too, Max Baucus, among many others.

If you want to know more about the man who holds the fate of healthcare reform in his hands, I urge you to read Ezra's excellent article about him, The Sleeper of the Senate, in the American Prospect.

Max Baucus is a key player and he happens to be in the thrall of the insurance lobby. They um, own him favor him.

He also happens to be the Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee.

His name is Max Baucus. He's a democrat from Montana, and I suggest you get to know this dude as well as AHIP knows and loves him.

Here's a link to Max's Open Secrets page, you decide where his heart resides.

If Max is anything, he's a wily politician. He talks about regulating the murderous insurance industry, but he doesn't say anything about what this regulation will look like. I trust common sense will prevail, and the plan will not be to have the insurance industry "regulated" by the same folks who regulated the criminals on Wall Street.

We will all be watching this all like hawks.

And we the people - the people that overwhelmingly support Single Payer Universal Health Care - expect real change, real savings and the end of the health insurance company reign of terror.
* In a New York Times/CBS News poll in February 2007, 64% said that the federal government should guarantee health insurance for all Americans.

* In October 2003, 62% of respondents to a Washington Post/ABC News poll said they preferred “a universal health insurance program, in which everybody is covered under a program like Medicare that’s run by the government and financed by taxpayers.”

* These findings were repeated in a 2007 Associated Press-Yahoo poll in which 65% supported a Medicare-for-all system.
There is the only real consensus that counts.