I have been putting in quite a few hours since November 3rd working to get the two Democratic Senate candidates elected in the Georgia runoff.
I stopped and listened to an audio tape of Joe Biden this morning. He was giving a speech which was not public, but which was recorded anyway. He was asked if he would 'advance the Progressive agenda by executive action,' and he replied that he would not because he would only exercise the powers of president that are granted by the Constitution.
Fair enough, as far as it goes.
Then Joe added something he did not have to say. He attacked Progressives, saying that the other side (apparently meaning his opponents) had 'smeared us' with the charge 'that we were saying, "defund the police,'" and said that's why Democratic Senate and House candidates were not re-elected or elected as he and many of the rest of us had hoped.
I call BS.
Joe, your opponents used the same "defund the police" claim against you, and you won.
More than that, Joe, your opponents called you a "socialist," and you won.
You were fortunate in the choice of your opponent, as they say, Joe.
The Democratic candidates for other offices lost more than they should have, or at least more than many of us expected, because they did not have a message. They could not respond to charges that they wanted to "defund the police" and that they were "socialists" because they didn't have a message. That is why they lost.
Progressives did not lose their seats. They too were accused of wanting to defund the police and being socialists, but they did not lose.
Instead, Joe, Progressives turned out in numbers to support you. Progressives and the choice of your opponent gave you the win, not rich people who want a return to power. None of us long for the return of the Clintonistas or, for that matter, for a third Obama term.
We have been hoping for fresh faces and new programs.
But if all you have to offer is the same tired people and their programs, then why should any of us work to elect a Senate that will work with you to restore the same tired people and their programs to power over us? They did not do such a good job for people who are not rich and elitist.
They are responsible for the Occupant you ran against. But they are not responsible for the fact that your race was successful. Get your stuff together, Joe. The face of your party has changed, the policies your party wants are different from the past.
If you think differently, there may be no reason to work so hard to elect the Democratic Senatorial candidates from Georgia.
Please read the disclaimer. ©2020 Dennis J. Wall. All rights reserved.
THEY'RE STILL IN POWER, YOU KNOW. COMMENT ON THEIR PROPOSALS ....
... at least until January 20, 2021.
Another Comment period closes on another proposal. Their proposal deserves your Comments, as their proposals mostly have deserved your Comments for four years. The situation has not changed yet, you know. They are still in power, still making proposals, and Comments are still necessary.
What follows is information for you to use regarding the Comment period that ends today on their proposal to circumvent federal labor laws that govern the federal workforce. Feel free to copy all or any part of the following in order to leave your own Comments.
Temporary and Term Employment
A Proposed Rule by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM).
TO: regulations.gov
Docket No.: 2020-20038.
RIN: 3206-AN92.
Comment Period Deadline: November 10, 2020.
Summary: Currently, "permanent" federal employees are in positions that are expected to continue indefinitely. "Temporary" or "term" employees are in positions with a fixed end date. The current proposed change would increase the present maximum limit of four years for most "nonpermanent" workers from 4 to 10 years.
Relevance and Justification: The American Federation of Government Employees has pointed out that federal agencies could use their authority to fill more positions with employees who will be out of their jobs when their term ends, as they do now under even more limiting rules. The AFGE notes that this sets the stage for a "disposable workforce," as distinct from a career federal workforce. The practice of hiring term and temporary federal workers is apparently widespread at the present time as it is, "with some individuals serving for years and years rotating from one temporary position to another without job security and without proper access to benefit programs," the National Treasury Employees Union has observed.
Term employees in federal employment may not qualify for an annuity benefit and may not be eligible for the same percentage of federal contribution to premiums to continue their federal health insurance coverage when they retire. Further, term employees do not have a right to appeal. As the public policy director of the AFGE has said, "It's a streamlined way to fire people--when your term has ended, they can fire you because your term has ended."
CONCLUSION
Your proposed rule circumvents federal labor laws that apply to federal workers. It is contrary to law. It must be withdrawn or, if it is not withdrawn, then it must be struck down as soon as it is issued, if ever.
Thank you for your consideration of these Comments.
Please read the disclaimer. This article ©2020 Dennis J. Wall. All rights reserved except that as stated, permission is freely given to quote all or part of the above Comments in any Comment on the proposed rule that may be left on regulations.gov, by any reader, with or without attribution.
Posted by Dennis J. Wall on November 10, 2020 at 07:14 AM in Comments on proposed changes to regs and rules, Comments on Proposed Rules, Regulations and rules of administrative agencies., Rules and regulations | Permalink | Comments (0)
Tags: #Comments, #FederalEmployees, #LaborLaws, #OPM, #ProposedRules