COVID-19 & Healthcare

Tucson Black Friday Wal-Mart protest draws 50 activists, no strikers (video)

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J-m-p-s-157-sm72by Pamela Powers Hannley

Approximately 50 Tucson activists protested Wal-Mart's labor practices at a southside store on Black Friday.

The usual left-wing groups were represented– Jobs with Justice, Occupy Tucson, Progressive Democrats of America (PDA), and college students. Who was absent? Wal-Mart workers and representatives of the United Food and Commercial Workers–the union that played an integral role in organizing the national day of protest. 

Although Wal-Mart is infamous for paying low wages, intimidating workers who want to unionize, discriminating against women in promotion practices, and avoiding offering health care insurance by manipulating employees' hours, the tipping point for yesterday's protest was requiring workers to start Black Friday work schedules on Thanksgiving at 8 p.m.

Video of the Tucson protest and other details after the jump.

Some reading for policy wonks on the Affordable Care Act regulations released on Tuesday

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Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

Ezra Klein's Wonkblog at the Washington Post offers a series of posts in a summary of the Affordable Care Act regulations released on Tuesday. This should give you policy wonks something to read over the long Thanksgiving Day weekend. Wonkbook: Everything you need to know about Obamacare’s regulations:

Everything you need to know about Obamacare’s regulations

The Affordable Care Act regulations came down on Tuesday. Here’s what they say.
“The Obama administration took a big step on Tuesday to carry out the
new health care law by defining ‘essential health benefits’ that must be
offered to most Americans… Insurance companies are rushing to devise
health benefit plans that comply with the federal standards. Starting in
October, people can enroll in the new plans, for coverage that begins
on Jan. 1, 2014…The rules lay out 10 broad categories of essential
health benefits, but allow each state to specify the benefits within
those categories, at least for 2014 and 2015. Thus, the required
benefits will vary from state to state, contrary to what many members of
Congress had assumed when the law was adopted.” Robert Pear in The New York Times.

Read: The health regulations in the Federal Register.

Walmart, Papa Johns, & Hostess: Can capitalists afford to pay workers more? (video)

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Working-011-sm72by Pamela Powers Hannley

Except for a few bumps in the road– like the crash of worldwide financial markets and the colapse of the housing industry– capitalists have had a great run in the past decade.

Profits are at record levels. Wages are down– except for CEO pay, which averaged $9.6 million/year in 2011. The Supreme Court says corporations are people with the right of free speech and the right to buy elections. Humans are desperate for work worldwide.

And thanks to multinational expansion, the demise of manufacturing, and a barrage of attacks on unions, major US corporations can pick and choose workers from a worldwide buffet of skills and salaries.

So, if the capitalists are doing so well, why are they being so stingy with their workers? Find out after the jump.

What, did Obama give them Rolexes?

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by David Safier Mitt Romney only tells the truth when thinks he's among friends. Otherwise, he says what he thinks will get him what he wants. His "47 percent" remark, a spot-on description of his contempt for the "great unwashed," was intended for like-minded rich folk, but someone stuck a camera on a table and … Read more

PDA: Envisioning a more progressive Arizona Democratic Party

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Taxby Pamela Powers Hannley

Are you one of those Democrats who grumbles about the
Arizona Democratic Party’s (ADP) slide into Republican-lite territory?

 Are you tired of Blue Dog Democratic candidates?

 Are you tired of the party’s weak stances on hot-button
issues?

Did you ever wonder why the ADP’s Progressive Caucus has so
little power—despite being the state party’s largest caucus? (Maybe you didn’t
even know that the ADP had a progressive caucus?)

Are you ready for change?

If you said, “Hell, yeah!” to any of the above questions, then
it’s time to stop muttering and start acting. On Wednesday, Nov. 14, the Tucson
Chapters of Drinking Liberally/Progressive Democrats of America (PDA) are
holding a special meeting  at The Shanty—beginning
at 6 p.m. with FREE pizza. The focus of the meeting will be on envisioning and
brainstorming a more progressive Democratic Party in Arizona. Former Arizona Legislator and PDA
Tucson coordinator Phil Lopes will lead the discussion.

Why should you attend? Read the details after the jump.