I Don't Believe I Would Have Said That

HUD Secretary Alphonso Jackson told a story recently as part of a speech to business leaders in Dallas. His tale was about a potential government contractor who he discovered was critical of President Bush. So, despite being clearly qualified, the contract was rescinded. And apparently Jackson feels this is right. He said, "Why should I reward someone who doesn't like the president, so they can use funds to try to campaign against the president? Logic says they don't get the contract. That's the way I believe."

We kind of expected this to be the case but didn't really expect them to boast about it. It is illegal after all. Not that legality has been much of a roadblock for this Administration. He and the White House are now backtracking and say the story was made-up. As Bush's own hometown Waco Tribune-Herald news says, "Law-breaking or lying - either way, it's wrong."

Several Stories on the subject:
Kleptocracy
Bush's hometown paper
Washington Post

Today In History

California's State Senate has passed legislation to require the teaching of the historical achievements of homosexuals in school.

From the LA Times:

"Saying more role models could help reduce the social estrangement and high suicide rates of gay and lesbian students, the state Senate voted Thursday to require that the historical contributions of homosexuals in the United States be taught in California schools."

Full article HERE.

Workers Under Siege

ADA with the help of our Workers' Rights Committee, the AFL-CIO, and the United Steelworkers held a briefing at the Capitol on the Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA). Hill staffers, reporters, local ADAers, and other interested persons were treated to an informative and moving presentation. Panelists included Jefferson Cowie of Cornell University, Sarah Fox of the AFL-CIO, Carol Pier of Human Rights Watch, and Ron Stief of the United Church of Christ. While their presentations were great, the testimonials from our 3 fired workers proved even more compelling. All three shared their stories which included their workplaces problems, their employers means of coercion and intimidation, and finally how each was fired essentially for organizing to make their workplaces safer and better places for everyone.

Check out the story from the AFL-CIO's blog HERE.

Audio and video of the briefing will be available soon.

Updates

SENATE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE

Right wing Republican groups want Senate Majority Leader Frist to increase the number of judicial nominees. Caveat, why would men and women of good will, want to set the federal courts further adrift by giving lifetime appointments to an unpopular president's judicial nominees.

Republicans are looking for ways to distinguish themselves from an unpopular President Bush.

Next week the Senate Judiciary Committee will hold a hearing on judicial nominations, on Tuesday. Also, a hearing on the Voting Rights Act Reauthorization is set for Tuesday, and on Wednesday, a hearing on Voting rights Act Enforcement. ADA strongly supports the Voting Rights Act Reauthorization and Amendments Act of 2006, S. 2703.

Recent, House hearings revealed that the majority of all the Department of Justice's objections to discriminatory voting practices and procedures have occurred since 1982 when Section 5 was last reauthorized. Evidence of the hundreds of Section 5 objections and numerous successful voting cases have been brought during that period, provides further documentation of the persistence of discrimination in jurisdictions covered by the expiring provisions. Also, the record illustrates that thousands of United States citizens continue to face discrimination and need VRA-mandated language assistance to ensure that they can cast an effective ballot.

THE FEDERAL MARRIAGE AMENDMENT

The Federal Marriage Amendment, S. J. Res. - 1, is set for a markup hearing next week Thursday, in the Senate, aka the "Marriage Protection Amendment". ADA is opposed to the amendment which is a radical proposal that would permanently write discrimination into the United States Constitution. This is a dangerous, unnecessary and destructive approach to resolving our national debate over same-sex marriage. If passed this amendment would require states to restrict the civil rights of their own citizens. This is an unconscionable result that is contrary to 225 years of Constitutional history. This is a very divisive amendment and bad public policy. This proposal stimulates heated rhetoric from some right wing organizations and their leaders against gays and lesbians. This provision tears us apart instead of bringing people together. (Simply put, FMA is Red meat to sustain the commitment of the Radical Right Wing of the Republican Party.)

There important substantive national needs which should have priority before the Congress. The FMA should not be considered at this time.

Also see NEWS and NOTES for more actions and items of interest. Published each Friday that Congress is in session.

Join ADA On Capitol Hill

DO YOU BELIEVE?

THAT WORKING FAMILIES SHOULD HAVE A VOICE IN THEIR WORKPLACE?

THAT WORKPLACES SHOULD BE FREE OF COERCION AND INTIMIDATION?

AND THAT WHEN WORKERS CHOOSE TO TAKE CONTROL OF THEIR OWN LIVES, THAT EMPLOYERS SHOULD ACKNOWLEDGE THEIR RIGHT TO DO SO?

SO DO WE!!!

JOIN AMERICANS FOR DEMOCRATIC ACTION (ADA) TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE EMPLOYEE FREE CHOICE ACT (EFCA) AT A HILL BRIEFING MAY 8th

Workers Under Siege: Protecting Human Rights with the Employee Free Choice Act

DATE: Monday, May 8th
TIME: 10 a.m. - noon
PLACE: HC-6 Capitol Building
SPEAKERS:
Professor Jefferson Cowie, Cornell University
Rev. Ron Stief, United Church of Christ
Carol Pier, Human Rights Watch
Hilary Shelton, NAACP
Nancy Schiffer, AFL-CIO
Thanks to the United Steel Workers, a worker from a recent organizing campaign who became victim of the current union election process, will be appearing.

Download a flyer about this event to share with others HERE.

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