Vigils

Respect My Authoratayyy!!!

When we were in the fourth grade at Millcreek elementary Mrs. Anticheck stood us up and publicly vilified us for our sins. Sitting at the back of the class, I had ample opportunities to hone my public speaking skills.

One day, after watching David O. Mackay’s funeral on the TV in our class, I was asked to spell English, it was written on the chalkboard.

I still can’t spell very well, but I got a pare of glasses that year, and some one on one time with a very nice older Lady who turned me on to a book called the Mouse and the Motorcycle.

Thank you Ma’am, I really needed those glasses.

Oh, and thanks for the spell checker, it’s awesome.

http://political.moveon.org/event/events/index.html?action_id=34&search_distance=30&search_zip=84047&submit=Search

http://deesings.livejournal.com/185967.html

http://firedoglake.blogspot.com/2006_02_19_firedoglake_archive.html#114055082068377914

Thanks for the pic.
http://www.toast442.org/C236517467/E20050826144602/

Your Invited to the Party

Friday 17Feb06, Radisson Hotel, Downtown SLC. 1:30-3:00pm, OOh, just hit the first Link. Its All there.

http://blueutah.wordpress.com/2006/02/14/minimum-wage-increase/

http://www.grist.org

http://oneutah.org/2006/02/14/fema-is-just-another-word-for-nothing-left-to-lose/

What we’d like to know is, what’s happening while we’re spending so much time wrestling the shot gun away from ultra super secret tricky Dick?

http://blog.oneamericacommittee.com/section/arguments_analysis

http://www.davidcorn.com/archives/2006/02/no_retreat_no_s.php

http://www.dailyhowler.com/dh021406.shtml

http://firedoglake.blogspot.com/2006_02_12_firedoglake_archive.html#1140061473

85417076

http://www.smirkingchimp.com/article.php?sid=24876&mode=nested&order=0

http://claudialong.com/blog/2006/02/02/guilty_guilty_guilty_mother_lode_of_enron_emails_found.html

http://firedoglake.blogspot.com/2006_02_12_firedoglake_archive.html#114009773678156107

Thanks for the pic.

Act Now

I’m going to have to go back to work soon, but that doesn’t mean we can’t still get together sometimes to discuss our world and the changes being made.

Here’s a list of things we can do, think about, and play with.

See ya on the next one, Clint.

http://www.actionforum.com/forum/index.html?forum_id=266

https://secure.ga3.org/03/contribute_20060214_eitc

http://www.utahjwj.org/index.htm

http://daviscountywatch.blogspot.com/

http://scottmaxwell.wordpress.com/

http://theospeak.wordpress.com/2006/02/14/limbo-goes-to-heaven/

Minimum Wage Increase

http://dickcheneyquailhunt.cf.huffingtonpost.com/

http://scobleizer.wordpress.com/2006/02/14/polls-with-rounded-corners/

http://daoureport.salon.com/synopsis.aspx?synopsisId=f88ec861-e61b-4fc1-8bd1-2059e9878f29

And finally,Happy Valentine’s Day. And good luck Mayor Coroon.

Minimum Wage Increase

Thanks Cory, always happy to help.
utjwj@xmission.com

www.utahjwj.org

MEDIA ADVISORY: FEBRUARY 14, 2006

Contacts: George Neckel, Utah Jobs with Justice. (801) 606-2074

Corey Hilton, Organizer, IBEW Local 354. (801) 319-3144

Dan Belnap, Utahns Against Hunger. (801) 328-2561

UTAH’S WORKING POOR NEED INCREASED MINIMUM WAGE

Low income workers to testify on economic hardship

Salt Lake City, UT. Tuesday, February 14, 2006. Low-wage Utah workers will present testimony before a Workers Rights Board on February 17 on the need for an increase in the State’s minimum wage. The workers will describe their efforts to support their families on less than $7.00 an hour. Utah’s current minimum wage is $5.15 an hour, the same as the federal minimum, which has not been increased in more than eight years. This provides an annual income of only $10,700 for a full-time worker.

Among those testifying will be a receptionist for the United States Forest Service, a fast-food worker struggling to provide for her three children and an oil company worker supporting a developmentally disabled son with substantial medical bills. In addition, the Board will hear expert testimony from economist Dr. Sarah Wilhelm, of Voices for Utah Children.

The testimony will be heard by a panel drawn from the Workers Rights Board of Utah Jobs with Justice. The panel includes Cathy Hoskins, Executive Director of Salt Lake Community Action Program; Salt Lake County Council member Joe Hatch; Glen Bailey, Executive Director of Crossroads Urban Center; and Dee Rowland, Director of the Peace and Justice Commission of the Catholic Diocese. Robert “Archie” Archuleta, Chair of Utah Coalition of La Raza and former Administrator of Minority Affairs under Mayor Rocky Anderson, will moderate the panel.

The hearing is part of the Citizens’ Day at the Legislature, organized by Utah Issues. Legislation introduced by Sen. Ed Mayne would increase Utah’s minimum wage to $7.00 an hour. A full-time worker would need to earn $7.74 an hour to meet the federal poverty line for a family of three.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that 19,000 Utahns are working at or below minimum wage. The real value of the minimum wage is near its lowest point in 50 years. If the minimum wage in 2005 was worth what it was in 1968, it would be $8.88 an hour. And if it had gone up at the same rate as average CEO pay in the 1990s, the minimum wage would today be almost $45 an hour.

(MORE)

Nationwide, fourteen states have raised their state minimum wage above the federal minimum, ranging up to $7.65 an hour in Washington. The city of Santa Fe, New Mexico has set minimum wage at $9.80 an hour.

Utah Jobs with Justice is a coalition of 18 labor, community and faith organizations working for economic justice. The Workers Rights Board is a project of Utah Jobs with Justice that unites community, religious and business leaders to enhance and ensure the democratic rights of all workers.

The hearing, which is open to the public, will be held Friday, February 17^th from 1:30 – 3:00 pm at the Radisson Hotel Downtown, 215 South Temple, Parleys Rooms 1 and 2.

- 30 -

PO Box 3151

Salt Lake City, UT 84110

801.606.2074 fax 801.328.2564

Commissioners closing a window to Democracy

On Jan. 31, 2006 the Weber County Commission voted to merge the recorder’s office with the surveyor’s office. The Commission was elected to protect our constitution and bill of rights, our democracy. This is why our country and our soldiers are fighting and dying?

The office of County Recorder and County Surveyor serve as a check and balance to hold each other accountable to protect our rights and property.

There is a culture of corruption sweeping across America with our elected officials and lobbyists. Let’s not let it happen here in Weber County.

The commission has been quoted as saying that this merge would save the county $150 thousand to $200 thousand a year. Not long ago our taxes were raised by nearly 30%, and then lobbyists were hired by the commission at nearly $ 300 thousand. To do a job I believe is elected official’s responsibility. We elect state legislators and U.S. representatives to petition the state and federal government in our behalf. By using those resources and not paying lobbyist we could have kept the County Recorder and County Surveyor office’s separate.

The commission was also quoted as saying there are 10 counties in Utah that have these positions combined, but those are the 10 smallest counties and Weber County is one of the largest of 29 counties.

The whole conceived idea of merging these offices together is to cover up alleged illegal activities in the Recorder’s office? Where is the investigation to resolve the land dispute?

Now that these offices have merged it lessens transparency in government and we as voters get less choice and the merge closes one more window of democracy and less of; We the people, by the people, for the people.

Bill Hansen North Ogden

To post a message to this group, send it to: Dem-UT@yahoogroups.com

We’re Not Gonna Take It

The Senate is debating Alito on C-SPAN in the real world manner he deserves. Our Governor stood up to Cap. Chaos last week, to the relief of us all. Got a head ache Sen. Bennett? Go lie down for a moment. Take a nap. The day will come when you may wish you had.

Sen. Bob Bennett 202-224-5444

Politics is about solving problems. Give your representatives a call.

What you can do.
Why all this matters to you.

Duty

Thanks so much for all the support and encouragement this week.

Now do your duty and increase our tribe.

Educate Liberally

Mr. Bush Doesn’t care, Captain Chaos goes from bad to . A kid hasn’t got a chance without turning to crime. Its no accident people don’t trust the system. That’s the plan.

A Balanced Diet

Also being residents of SLC, UT, USA, Planet Earth, and still feeling a little lost in the universe, we were able to come up with a meal to power you though a Saturday’s action.

Jenni sorts it all out, Dee sees the forest from the trees, Ed keeps our spirits up, while Heal Utah gives directions. One Utah lets us listen where we weren’t able to be, and for dessert something imported, but sweet.

Don’t drink the kool-aid, somthing’s in the punch.

Good Neighbors

Going thru the comments at FDL last night fed my hungry soul. Anybody feeling the heat?

Maybe just doing somthing gets the ball rolling. Your support is always appreciated.

All Hands On Deck

Thank you to everyone who was able to come to the hearing at the Capitol on such short notice. The vote was close, but Senate Bill 70 passed out of the committee by a vote of 3-2 and will now move on to the Senate for a full vote.

As you know, SB 70 rewrites state law to make it easier for nuclear and hazardous waste dumps to expand or develop in Utah by taking away the need for gubernatorial approval. The bill effectively removes power from the Governor and gives it to Envirocare.

In an effort to remove the public from the process, this bill has been on a fast-track and will most likely be voted on THIS WEEK. We need a lot of help to defeat this legislation in the Senate. If you have any time at all this week, your involvement could stop an effort to make it easier for nuclear and toxic waste to be dumped in Utah. This is truly urgent. Can you help with any of the following?

1) Hand out flyers in legislative districts (2 hour commitment)

2) Write a letter to the editor (15-30 min.)

3) Call, write, or email key legislators (15-30 min.)

4) Help call our volunteers and members to ask them to contact their legislators (1-2 hours)

5) Join us at the Capitol to talk to legislators directly (1 hr)

Please let me know if you can help with any of the above. You can join volunteers going out to flyer Tuesday afternoon and Thursday evening, and we’d also like to fill in the rest of the week.

Here is a list of legislative leadership we need help contacting. You can reach all of them by calling the senate at 538-1035. You can also call them directly on their home numbers (call after 6:00pm and no later than 9:00pm). You can find a sample email and a link to more talking points at the bottom of this email.

1) Senate President John Valentine, jvalentine@utahsenate.org

2) Senate Majority Leader Peter Knudson, (435) 723-2035, pknudson@utahsenate.org

3) Senate Majority Whip Dan Eastman, (801) 295-5133, deastman@utahsenate.org

4) Senate Assistant Majority Whip Bev Evans, (435) 454-3719, bevevans@ubtanet.com

Thank you to everyone who has already contacted a legislator. Please continue to contact the above legislators this week. They need to hear from you.

We’re always thankfully amazed by the time people take out of their lives to get involved. That’s how the three of us can accomplish what we do. If there was ever a time when we needed your help, it’s now. So please, take the time this week to get involved and make sure our government is accountable to the people it represents, not the bottom-line of one company. Thank you,

-John, Jason, and Vanessa

HEAL Utah

68 S Main St, Suite 400
SLC, UT 84101
(801) 355-5055

Here’s a sample email you can copy and send. For a full list of talking points, visit http://www.healutah.org/what/envirocare/takeAction.html.

Dear Sen. _____,

I strongly urge you to oppose Senate Bill 70. This bill would make it easier for nuclear and hazardous waste dumps to expand or operate in Utah and rewrites a law specifically put in place to protect our health and environment. By taking away the need for the Governor to approve the expansion or development of nuclear waste sites, this bill takes power away from the one person in the state who represents all Utahns. This law benefits Envirocare and makes it easier for more nuclear and toxic waste to be dumped in our state. If Envirocare says they’re not asking for this bill, and the public is clearly against it, the legislature should vote against it as well. We live with the dangers of nuclear waste for generations. Please vote down SB 70 and protect the interests of the public, not the bottom-line of one company. Sincerely,

-Your name and contact info