Giving Power Back To The People

By Kayleigh Harvey - Talk Radio News Service

Senator Tom Harkins (D-Iowa) and Congressman George Miller (D-Ca) held a press conference to discuss the progress of the “Employment Free Choice Act: Strengthening the Middle Class.”

Senator Harkin’s said: “We are introducing legislation that puts the power back into the hands of the people who are truly the backbone of our country. Today, Congressman Miller and I along with our co-sponsors are introducing the Employment Free Choice Act and we intend to pass this act not in a matter of years, but in weeks or months.”

Senator Harkin’s added: “In 2004 the average CEO made 431 times that of the average worker.

Congressman Miller said: “Under this bill the employees can choose to organize either through the National Labor Relations Board Election Process or through a majority sign up. Under the current law the CEO can veto employees choice when they use majority sign up. Under this bill the employee’s choice will be respected.”

The two said that from discussions they anticipated that the Senate would be first to vote on the Act and Senator Harkin’s said that by the time the vote comes he “believes” that there will be the 60 votes required for the legislation to pass.

The vote in the Senate is expected to take place after Easter recess.

McCain and Feingold tackle pork reform

By Michael Ruhl, University of New Mexico - Talk Radio News Service

Today Senator John McCain (R-Ariz), Senator Russ Feingold (D-Wis) and Representative Paul Ryan (R-Wis) spoke of their plans to reintroduce their version of the line item veto bill. Feingold said that the bill would allow the President to mark certain earmarks for reconsideration, have it sent back to Congress, and have each marked spending allocation voted on individually. If either chamber votes against rescinding the money by a simple majority vote, then the project would be funded.

The Supreme Court had previously struck down as unconstitutional McCain’s previous attempt to introduce a line item veto. McCain said that he wants to “get around” that decision by the Court through a new legislative effort, which McCain said would be fully constitutional.

All three members of Congress felt that this would be an important step towards reforming wasteful pork. Ryan said that this would bring accountability and common sense to the earmark process. McCain said that he anticipates it being difficult to pass, but Feingold said that this bill is important, because earmark money is “real money” that comes out of taxpayers pockets. Ryan went on to say that this is not a Republican or Democratic issue, but a “good government issue”.

Sen. DeMint on radio censorship and fairness doctrine

By Suzia van Swol, University of New Mexico-Talk Radio News Service
During a press briefing on the fairness doctrine, Senator Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) says that,
“we can celebrate a victory of sorts today, after taking a message to the American people about radio censorship, the potential of muzzling radio talk show hosts, we were able to force a vote this week on the broadcasters freedom act that would bar the FCC (Federal Communications Commission) from bringing up what is misnamed the fairness doctrine.”

Sanders: Cutting the deficit is going to take hard work

By Suzia van Swol and Candyce Torres, University of New Mexico-Talk Radio News Service
Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) speaks after the President's Address to Congress and says that cutting the deficit in half is possible but will take a lot of hard work. Sanders discusses the stimulus package and says that, "I think the President has been very clear. We are going to use the internet, he has an inspector general, Joe Biden is going to play a roll. We want that money to do what it is supposed to do; rebuild America, create jobs, not be wasteful, or spent inefficiently." (1:36)

Senator John F. Kerry speaks at Climate Change Hearing

Sen. John Kerry speaks at the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Climate change and says that, “We need a transformation in public policy thinking to embrace the reality of what science is telling us.” We need to come to terms with the implications of the climate problems that we face because the consequences will be catastrophic if we don’t.(0:47)

by Suzia van Swol, University of New Mexico-Talk Radio News Service