With Friends Like These...Illinois labor faces hostile state government controlled by former allies

Submitted by Illinoisnoki1 on Thu, 12/13/2012 - 18:26

By Bill Bianchi, PDA-Illinois

Over the past year, organized labor has suffered serious sets back across the union movement’s Midwestern homeland.  In Wisconsin, Indiana, Ohio and Michigan the devastating 2010 election left union busting Republicans with near complete political power in state government.  They have used that power gleefully to destroy public and private unions.  In Illinois however, Democrats have retained political power, so the story should be different, and it is, but it's not encouraging.    Read more »

Make Social Security and Medicare sustainable (and better) through progressive changes, not devastating cuts.

Submitted by Illinoisnoki1 on Thu, 12/27/2012 - 15:15

By Sonja Rotenberg, Chair Illinois Single Payer Coalition  12/27/12

Some Changes Are Good

Republicans and some Democrats want to cut Social Security (even though it does not contribute one dime to the deficit) and Medicare in the name of the “Grand Bargain” ostensibly to lower the country’s deficit and avoid the so-called “fiscal cliff”, a term blown way out of proportion by the business media.  Read more »

Grijalva Rejects Potential Social Security Benefit Cuts Through “Chained CPI” in Latest Grand Bargain Talk

Submitted by Illinoisnoki1 on Tue, 12/18/2012 - 22:28

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, December 18, 2012

Washington, D.C. – Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva today released the following statement on the potential inclusion of a so-called chained Consumer Price Index feature in the latest floated version of a financial agreement.  Read more »

New PDA Chapter Formed in Illinois' Red 16th Congressional District

Submitted by Illinoisnoki1 on Sat, 12/08/2012 - 14:50

Tuesday, 12/4.   Read more »