One More Story...

Oops - this is what happens when I post to a blog at odd hours of the morning! It looks like I posted my election coverage story twice. So....here is an opinion piece I wrote a while back about the Equal Pay Bill that was voted down by the Senate.

Senate Republicans Side With Special Interests - Block Equal Pay Bill

Equal pay for equal work should be a no-brainer in this day and age. None of us should have to launch an investigation to find out if we’re getting shorted on our paychecks because of gender, race, religion or any other discriminatory factor. Unfortunately for us working stiffs, Senate Republicans do not agree.

The Senate failed to pass the Fair Pay Restoration Act last Wed. by the four votes needed to avoid a filibuster. The bill is a response to the Supreme Court decision in 2007 in the case of Ledbetter v. Goodyear that prevented an employee from suing their employer for pay discrimination after 180 days of receiving their first pay check. In the case of Lily Ledbetter, she worked in the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co. factory in Gadsden, Ala. as a supervisor in the Tire Assembly Department for years before she discovered that her male counterparts were making 15 to 40 percent more than she was.

The Supreme Court’s ruling, written by Bush appointee Judge Samuel Alito, failed to take into consideration the fact that most people do not have access to their employer’s payroll information and can’t find out exactly what their counterparts are making in the company, at least not within the first six months at a new job. They did seem to consider that large corporations don’t like lots of lawsuits from angry employees whose pensions and Social Security benefits are significantly lower thanks to the pay discrimination they suffered while employed.

Rep. George Miller (D-CA) introduced the Fair Pay Restoration Act last June as a way of setting right what the Supreme Court screwed up. But alas, senators such as Elizabeth Dole (R-NC), Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and Ted Stevens (R-AK), seem to think that big business interests are more important than making sure vulnerable people have recourse when their employers screw them over. All a company has to do is keep their employees in the dark for 180 days and they are free and clear. The court has put the burden on the individual employee to find out what a corporation is doing with their payroll. Sounds fair to me.

Republican presidential nominee, John McCain didn’t bother to show up for the vote, but said that he would also have voted to oppose the bill according to the Associated Press. This while campaigning through poverty stricken states and concluding in New Orleans, an area where fair pay for working-class families is a daily concern with very tangible results.

Both Democratic candidates for president, Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama were able to make it back to the Senate floor to vote in support of the bill.

The Senate’s failure to pass the Fair Pay Act is yet another testament to the power of special interests in our governmental system. While the people cast their votes every two years and hope for the best, those voted into power turn their backs yet again on the folks who put them there.

At least the high-paid executives at Goodyear (and every other corporation in America) can rest easy knowing they can continue to grossly underpay anyone they want.

2008 Election Coverage

Last Tuesday Americans went to the polls and made a historic decision. The significance of the 2008 election is beyond the ability of one short news story to contain. Pundits and historians will be analyzing this moment in our country’s history for many years to come.
Whatever the experts finally decide, one thing is clear, President-elect Barack Obama and Vice President-elect Joe Biden will have to take over the governing of a nation with problems. Our economy is on its way to a serious recession. Four million Americans are still without health coverage. We’re entangled in two wars that are going to take finesse, diplomacy and no small amount of patience to resolve. There is no shortage of issues for this new administration to tackle. So, what do everyday voters think they should take on first?
“I’m excited and nervous.” said Betty Eichwald. The 52-year-old Moorpark Unified School District employee voted early Tuesday morning to avoid long lines. “I think he should take a serious look at the economy and health care. People need decent health coverage. It’s ridiculous that we don’t have that in America.”
Eichwald works with a disabled student at a public school in Moorpark. Like many voters, she said she is also concerned about the state of the education system in America, but she stressed the importance of the economy. “If the economy is a mess, it’s hard to deal with anything else,” she said.
Recent reports from the Bureau of Labor Statistics suggest that the economy poses a major challenge for the country as a whole. October saw the loss of another 240,000 jobs, making this the 10th month is a row to report significant job losses. The unemployment rate has hit a 14-year high with 6.5 percent of Americans now out of work.
The economy isn’t the only thing on people’s minds these days. Patty Packinham, an administrative assistant from Northridge is most concerned about our presence in Iraq.
“We need to bring our troops home as soon as we safely can,” Packinham said. “This war was a lie and too many people have paid for it with their lives.”
The 2008 election saw the inclusion of many new, first-time voters such as Packinham. The Obama campaign used grass-roots efforts to reach the people, but they also got high-tech. Obama’s ads could be found in video games and on the internet. It should be no surprise, then that they are using the internet to once again get in touch with voters.
At the website, http://www.change.gov/, President-elect Obama has set up a page where Americans can write to his administration directly and tell them what they think the focus should be in the coming term. A statement on the tab entitled “American Moment” reads, “This transition is about selecting a new staff and agenda that will help reclaim the American dream and bring about positive lasting change to this country. In order to do that, we want to hear from you.”
Readers are then led to an on-line form where they can do just that. It is unclear what significance these suggestions will have for the new president-elect. Some people just like the tone Obama is setting by simply asking the people what they think.
“It’s a big change from the way the last eight years have gone,” said Packinham. “It’s nice to feel like we have a voice.”
Packinham was sitting in a coffee shop with her laptop when I interviewed her. After showing me the Obama web site, she led me to another.
Rachel Maddow, the political pundit and MSNBC news host of The Rachel Maddow Show ran an unscientific poll on her website this past week asking the public what they thought should be on Obama’s “To Do List”. Of the 9,003 votes cast, the economy lead with 37 percent, universal healthcare is second with 10 percent and climate change/environmental issues came in third with 6.3 percent of the votes. It seems the economy is the hot topic of the day.
Some people have other concerns, though. Brendan Hooley and Chris Panagakis are excited about the new president, but are most concerned about the passage of Proposition 8 in California. Prop 8 passed with approximately 52 percent of the vote. It eliminates the right of same sex couples to legally marry. Hooley and Panagakis got married this September, after the state supreme court granted same-sex couples the right.
“How would every married couple in the state feel if suddenly their relationship status went into legal limbo,” said Hooley. “That’s what we are going through right this very moment.”
Hooley and his partner planned to attend an upcoming rally in West Hollywood to protest the passage of Proposition 8. Many similar rallies are planned throughout the state. It is unclear at this point what will happen to the 18 million same-sex couples who got married before November 4th.
After almost two years of campaigning, the 2008 presidential elections are finally over. The ramifications of the decisions made on November 4th are going to be felt for years to come. While many voters are relieved, excited and anxious about the days to come, it is clear there are many battles yet to be fought. In the end, there can be only one winner…or loser - the American people.

Achieving work/life balance is possible!

Everyone is busy these days. We get up in the morning and hit the ground running; never stopping, it seems, until we collapse at the end of the day. The pressures of getting ahead at work and being present for our families can be overwhelming. All too often our work life invades, and sometimes takes over, our personal time.
All this non-stop action doesn't really get us ahead. Living this way usually results in nothing more that greater stress, more family tension and serious health problems. So, what is a multi-tasking professional to do?
Balancing work and life is possible. It may take a little work, but the benefits are well worth it. Here are some tips to get you on the way to a more balanced existence.
Make A Plan
What does success mean to you? How would you measure happiness? Answering these seemingly esoteric questions are central to creating a life you’ll find worth living. Craig Simmons, Director of the health and wellness program at Nestle Inc., suggests seriously thinking about what your real goals are and actually writing out a game plan to achieve them. “When you know what you want to do and have an idea how to get there, you can stop running around in circles and wasting time with things that eat up your time and energy,” he said.
Eliminate other time-wasters such as watching television or spending too many hours on the internet. Try going to bed a half hour earlier and getting up a half hour earlier. When was the last time you actually sat down and enjoyed a morning cup of coffee in your own kitchen on a weekday? If you can’t remember, it might be time to give it a try.

Schedule A Meeting…With Yourself
Our days tend to be filled with meetings and appointments. You have to see your dentist at 10:00, meet with your boss at noon and talk with your kid’s homeroom teacher at 4:00. You wouldn’t skip out on any of these appointments. Try scheduling some time for yourself for a change.
Simmons says we should carve out time for ourselves and our relationships just like we do for staff meetings. “Respect your time,” says Simmons. “Making time for yourself to just slow down for an hour and tend to your own needs is amazingly beneficial.” We can contribute more to our jobs and our families if we can take care of ourselves first.

Learn to Accept Help
Realize that you are not in this all alone. Accepting help is not a sign of weakness, but an indication of resourcefulness and intelligence. Are there other parents at your kid’s school or at your job you get along with? Suggest trading child care responsibilities. “You babysit for them this Saturday night and they watch your kids next week,” Simmons suggests. Couples need time together to reconnect. By working together with another family, you can support each other and lessen everyone’s stress levels.

Achieving a good work to life relationship is a process, not a destination. Chances are, once you think you’ve got things figured out, something will come along to alter the delicate balance. That’s life. If you have a plan, respect your own time and develop helpful relationships with other people, those unexpected bumps along the way won’t throw you off course.

2008 Election Coverage

Last Tuesday Americans went to the polls and made an historic decision. The significance of the 2008 election is beyond the ability of one short news story to contain. Pundits and historians will be analyzing this moment in our country’s history for many years to come.

Whatever the experts finally decide, one thing is clear, President-elect Barack Obama and Vice President-elect Joe Biden will have to take over the governing of a nation with problems. Our economy is on its way to a serious recession. Four million Americans are still without health coverage. We’re entangled in two wars that are going to take finesse, diplomacy and no small amount of patience to resolve. There is no shortage of issues for this new administration to tackle. So, what do everyday voters think they should take on first?

“I’m excited and nervous.” said Betty Eichwald. The 52-year-old Moorpark Unified School District employee voted early Tuesday morning to avoid long lines. “I think he should take a serious look at the economy and health care. People need decent health coverage. It’s ridiculous that we don’t have that in America.”

Eichwald works with a disabled student at a public school in Moorpark. Like many voters, she said she is also concerned about the state of the education system in America, but she stressed the importance of the economy. “If the economy is a mess, it’s hard to deal with anything else,” she said.

Recent reports from the Bureau of Labor Statistics suggest that the economy poses a major challenge for the country as a whole. October saw the loss of another 240,000 jobs, making this the 10th month is a row to report significant job losses. The unemployment rate has hit a 14-year high with 6.5 percent of Americans now out of work.

The economy isn’t the only thing on people’s minds these days. Patty Packinham, an administrative assistant from Northridge is most concerned about our presence in Iraq.
“We need to bring our troops home as soon as we safely can,” Packinham said. “This war was a lie and too many people have paid for it with their lives.”
The 2008 election saw the inclusion of many new, first-time voters such as Packinham. The Obama campaign used grass-roots efforts to reach the people, but they also got high-tech. Obama’s ads could be found in video games and on the internet. It should be no surprise, then that they are using the internet to once again get in touch with voters.

At the website, www.Change.gov, President-elect Obama has set up a page where Americans can write to his administration directly and tell them what they think the focus should be in the coming term. A statement on the tab entitled “American Moment” reads, “This transition is about selecting a new staff and agenda that will help reclaim the American dream and bring about positive lasting change to this country. In order to do that, we want to hear from you.”
Readers are then led to an on-line form where they can do just that. It is unclear what significance these suggestions will have for the new president-elect. Some people just like the tone Obama is setting by simply asking the people what they think.

“It’s a big change from the way the last eight years have gone,” said Packinham. “It’s nice to feel like we have a voice.”
Packinham was sitting in a coffee shop with her laptop when I interviewed her. After showing me the Obama web site, she led me to another.

Rachel Maddow, the political pundit and MSNBC news host of The Rachel Maddow Show ran an unscientific poll on her website this past week asking the public what they thought should be on Obama’s “To Do List”. Of the 9,003 votes cast, the economy lead with 37 percent, universal healthcare is second with 10 percent and climate change/environmental issues came in third with 6.3 percent of the votes. It seems the economy is the hot topic of the day.

Some people have other concerns, though. Brendan Hooley and Chris Panagakis are excited about the new president, but are most concerned about the passage of Proposition 8 in California. Prop 8 passed with approximately 52 percent of the vote. It eliminates the right of same sex couples to legally marry. Hooley and Panagakis got married this September, after the state Supreme Court granted same-sex couples the right.

“How would every married couple in the state feel if suddenly their relationship status went into legal limbo,” said Hooley. “That’s what we are going through right this very moment.”

Hooley and his partner planned to attend an upcoming rally in West Hollywood to protest the passage of Proposition 8. Many similar rallies are planned throughout the state. It is unclear at this point what will happen to the 18 million same-sex couples who got married before November 4th.

After almost two years of campaigning, the 2008 presidential elections are finally over. The ramifications of the decisions made on November 4th are going to be felt for years to come. While many voters are relieved, excited and anxious about the days to come, it is clear there are many battles yet to be fought. In the end, there can be only one winner…or loser - the American people.