Signs of the times.

Via The Stand...

Signs of the times.

Via Chipsticks...

Chart of the day.

Hat tip to AFL-CIO Now.

Honk.

Hat tip to Tina Dupuy at Crooks & Liars.

Because I'm in the mood…

…this week's random ten is culled from a directory labeled "Labor and Topical Songs."

Pete Seeger - How Can I Keep From Singing
Aunt Molly Jackson - Join The C.I.O.
Utah Phillips - We Have Fed You All For A Thousand Years
Tom Paxton - Lyndon Johnson Told The Nation
Joe Uehlein - Hold The Fort
Bobbie McGee - Bread And Roses
Josh White - Strange Fruit
Bob Bovee - Hallellujah I'm A Bum
Rosalie Sorrels - Bury Me In My Overalls
Joe Glazer - Solidarity Forever

Mostly old stuff again, but I think there's a lot to learn about these days in songs about those days.

Happy Monday!

Clinton confident...

NFL optimistic...

…and there's heartwarming news from hither and yon.

Feel better now?

When it's peach pickin' time in Georgia...

Jay Bookman at the Atlanta Journal Constitution...

After enacting House Bill 87, a law designed to drive illegal immigrants out of Georgia, state officials appear shocked to discover that HB 87 is, well, driving a lot of illegal immigrants out of Georgia.

...Thanks to the resulting labor shortage, Georgia farmers have been forced to leave millions of dollars' worth of blueberries, onions, melons and other crops unharvested and rotting in the fields. It has also put state officials into something of a panic at the damage they've done to Georgia's largest industry.

Hat tip to J.P. Green at The Democratic Strategist

From the "What's in your purse?" file.

Via the invaluable archive at If Charlie Parker Was a Gunslinger, There'd Be a Whole Lot of Dead Copycats...

From the "Si Se Puede!" file.

Via CNN...

The U.S. Navy has named one of its newest ships after Mexican-American labor organizer Cesar Chavez, officials said Wednesday.

Maybe it's my age showing, but damn, ain't that something?

From the "Known knowns" file.

Harry Reid…

We all know Republicans dislike organized labor. We know they disdain unions because unions demand fairness and equality from the Big Businesses Republicans so often shield at all costs.

Sure, we all know it, but it always bears repeating.

Give 'em hell, Harry!

Signs of the times.

Thousands of 'em in Olympia…




My peeps!

More photos at the P.I.

Hat tip to Carl.

The truth is out there.

Sally Kohn shares some...

I’m not weighing in here on whether the military action required congressional approval or oversight. My point is, Obama could have brought a resolution to Congress on a silver platter, and Republicans would be all over the news complaining it should have been gold.

They just hate him.

Stephen Squibb has some more...

It has frequently been said that in this country we have socialism for the rich and capitalism for the poor. What the case of the NFL demonstrates so clearly is that what we have, in fact, is whatever the rich want whenever they want it. And whatever they want always gets the same name, free market capitalism, regardless.

Not that most folks are looking, or listening, but I stubbornly cling to the notion that where there's truth, there's hope. As long as we can name the lies, we can fight them. That's my hope, anyway.

Quote of the day.

Vice President Joe Biden…

We absolutely, positively need collective bargaining.

Without a doubt.

Good news from Olympia…

…via the AFL-CIO NOW blog...

Legislation before the Washington State Legislature—pushed by multinational corporations and the notorious billionaire Koch brothers—urging Congress to pass the Korea-U.S. Free Trade Agreement (FTA) has died without a vote in the state Senate.

That's good. Even better…

Sen. Maralyn Chase (D-Shoreline) led opposition to SJM 8006 within the state Senate, and strong grassroots pressure was coordinated by the Washington Fair Trade Coalition (WFTC) and its member groups, including the Washington State Labor Council.

Yep, that's my own personal State Senator watching out for working folks again. Thanks, Maralyn!

Signs of the times.

Via Chris Bowers...



Yep, remember in November. Every November. Everywhere...

Signs of the times.

All y'all that don't read Kos mighta missed this one...




C'mon, there's gotta be one of y'all...anyway, great sign.

Good question…

…for Governor Walker, asked in the form of an epic rant by the Rude Pundit. Here's the nub...

Did you really think that you could merely spit on those corpses and walk away unscathed?

…but you really need the context. As usual, he's not only rude, but profane. And perfect.

A public service announcement.

The Washington State Labor Council wants you to know…

"Dino Rossi works for them. Senator Patty Murray works for us."

Where, of course, them = BP, Fox, JPMorganChase, Walmart, AIG, Philip Morris, Citigroup, Pfizer, McDonalds, Comcast, AT&T, etc. and us = well, us.

She only works for us if we vote for her, though. Ballots are in the mail hereabouts. Use yours promptly and wisely.

Vote for us.

Hat tip to Howie.

Breaking news!

Haley Barbour isn't as stupid about some things as most Republicans seem to be.

Other things, sure. But not some things.

Not when cheap labor and high profits are at stake.

Speaking of Specter…

…his rep as a "moderate" Republican was based in a large part on his pro-choice views, but jeebus, with friends like these...

Senator Specter supported the interests of the NARAL Pro-Choice America 50 percent in 2006.
Senator Specter supported the interests of the NARAL Pro-Choice America 20 percent in 2005.
Senator Specter supported the interests of the NARAL Pro-Choice America 0 percent in 2004.
Senator Specter supported the interests of the NARAL Pro-Choice America 21 percent in 2003.
Senator Specter supported the interests of the NARAL Pro-Choice America 0 percent in 2001.

OK, to be fair, he scored 100 in 2007, but his pointedly anti-choice colleague Bob Casey pulled a 65 from NARAL that year, higher than any of Arlen's scores in the previous five years.

And Arlen, the anti-EFCA friend of labor? Don't get me started.

But, hey, welcome!