Opening of the Wilkes-Barre Campaign Office

I went tonight. I showed up around 6:45 and the office was already packed. It only grew as the time went past 7 PM. Many local politicians showed up. I recognized most, but there were some that I did not.

Rep. Eddie Day Pashinksi
County Commissioner Maryanne Petrilla

There was also a representative from Paul Kanjorski and a representative for Mayor Tom Leighton.

Senator Bob Casey showed up and he gave a speech. The enthusiasm for Sen. Casey for encompassing and fantastic, but the mention of Sen. Obama's name drew thunderous applause and cheering.

The passion and the enthusiasm in the crowd was immense. With people inside the office and people outside chatting there must have been anywhere from 50-80 people at the peak of the event.

The diverse crowd's passion and integrity is a clear indication that Pennsylvania will be a hard fought campaign. We will do our best to succeed in our home state. I am confident we will see Pennsylvania go blue again.

This has been a historical year for America. We had a Mexican-American, a woman, and a black American amongst the candidates for president. For the first time in our history it became clear that one of the nominees for a major party in the USA was going to be a woman or a black America.

Those of us involved in the campaigns of Bill Richardson, Hillary Clinton, and Barack Obama have been part of a major moment in history. Those of us involved in the campaign of Barack Obama are playing our part in a historic moment. Nobody will remember us in the history books. Maybe we will forget each other years from now. But we will never forget that moment when we made history.

And we cannot wait to say "President Obama".

We have 88 days to go until Election Day. Let's get to work.

Yes we can and yes we will.

Musharraf faces impeachment

Pakistan's ruling coalition today formally announced moves to begin impeachment proceedings against the country's president, Pervez Musharraf.

I say good riddance to him. I hope they dispose of this man. Most likely he was involved in the assassination of Benazir Bhutto.

Factions within the Pakistan intelligence service might have been behind the assassination of the country's opposition leader Benazir Bhutto, sources within MI5 told Scotland on Sunday last night.

Of course he and his government have done little to stop Al-Qaida.

The US last month complained that "rotten" elements in the Pakistani intelligence service were aiding the Taliban. While the new civilian government tried to comply with US demands by bringing the intelligence service under its remit, the military and Musharraf blocked this.

Musharraf's advisers said he was prepared to "use his constitutional powers" to stop impeachment. Under powers he gave himself, Musharraf can dismiss the parliament - which should, in theory, be followed by fresh elections.

However impeachment is still uncertain.

The coalition may have the numbers required for impeachment, but it is tight. It would need a two-thirds majority in a joint sitting of both houses of parliament. The upper house, the senate, still has Musharraf supporters making up half its numbers. In the lower house, the coalition easily prevails.

Too bad that we won't see Bush and Cheney impeached.

Grand Opening of Obama Headquarters

This is the Grand Opening of the Wilkes-Barre Obama Headquarters. Come meet the fantastic organizers, men and woman, locals and from across the country, who will be the driving force behind the election here in North Eastern Pennsylvania. These are people you want to meet. We have an awesome office with plenty of room to work out of and volunteer in. There will be a volunteer meeting on Tuesday, August 5th at 7:00 p.m. and the office will be open from 9:00 a.m. till 9:00 p.m. from then on. Please stop by and show your support and meet the folks that are working for a better America.

Time and Info:
Date:
Thursday, August 7, 2008
Time:
7PM-10PM
Street:
238 Kidder Street
City:
Wilkes-Barre

And We Still Don't Have It Here

Unions in Wal-Mart that is. However they have them now in China.

The first Wal-Mart trade union in China was formed after the company bowed to government demands for organized labor in its stores, The New York Times reported Friday.

There are unions of some form at Wal-Marts in other nations. The clear exception is the United States.

It is widely reported that Wal-Mart mistreats their employees.

As I reported a few days ago Wal-Mart came under fire for warning employees of an Obama victory. Wal-Mart is afraid of the Employee Free Choice Act being passed. It may allow unionization in American Wal-Marts.

As soon as Wal-Mart managers see a potential union, they are supposed to call a hotline, prompting a visit from a special team from Wal-Mart headquarters, The Los Angeles Times reported.

Here is a video clip from the documentary "Wal-Mart :The High Cost of Low Prices"

Another Bankrupt Business

Reading-based department store chain Boscov's Inc. filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection this morning and put itself up for sale, Reuters news agency is reporting.

The Daily Show- Obama's Quest

Very funny video about Obama's quest as well as McCain's. There is a funny joke about Wilkes-Barre in the video too.

Wal-Mart Getting Too Political?

That is what the Wall Street Journal is reporting. Wal-Mart seems to be crossing a legal line in an apparent attempt to tell employees how to vote.

In recent weeks, thousands of Wal-Mart store managers and department heads have been summoned to mandatory meetings at which the retailer stresses the downside for workers if stores were to be unionized.

At the meeting department supervisors and store managers were warning employees of a Democratic victory in November. Especially if Barack Obama became president.

The Wal-Mart human-resources managers who run the meetings don't specifically tell attendees how to vote in November's election, but make it clear that voting for Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. Barack Obama would be tantamount to inviting unions in, according to Wal-Mart employees who attended gatherings in Maryland, Missouri and other states.

Wal-Mart denies telling employees how to vote, but some of the people who attended the meetings see otherwise.

"The meeting leader said, 'I am not telling you how to vote, but if the Democrats win, this bill will pass and you won't have a vote on whether you want a union,'" said a Wal-Mart customer-service supervisor from Missouri. "I am not a stupid person. They were telling me how to vote," she said.

Wal-Mart is afraid of the Employee Free Choice Act getting passed and becoming law.

The Free Choice, or "card check," legislation would let unions form if more than 50% of workers simply sign a card saying they want to join. It is far easier for unions to get workers to sign cards because the organizers can approach workers repeatedly, over a period of weeks or months, until the union garners enough support.

And of course what Wal-Mart is doing may be illegal.

Federal election rules permit companies to advocate for specific political candidates to its executives, stockholders and salaried managers, but not to hourly employees. While store managers are on salary, department supervisors are hourly workers.

What Wal-Mart is doing is wrong. It is clear that they are encouraging their employees to vote for Republican candidates in November. They do not want their stores to unionize so easily and thus they are trying to scare employees to vote against candidates who supporting legislatoion such as the Free Choice Act.

Chalk up another reason not to like Wal-Mart.