U.S. Bill seeks to rescue faltering newspapers [Newspaper bailout?! What a JOKE!]

I guess it had to happen, huh? Since the newspapers helped with the liberal takeover I guess it is only fitting for the liberals to pay them back now. Our local "rag" here in our city failed to report on the Tea Party we had on Saturday the 21st. Imagine that! They have one of the most liberal and racist staffs in the entire country. Luckily, one of the Conservative hosts to our little Tea Party (that pulled in 1200) hit them hard first thing Monday morning on his radio program. He also suggested that everyone that attended the party and everyone listening cancel their subscription. Bam! Since the same newspaper has people listening to the "enemy" of Socialism an article was printed on it the very next day- and they didn't even take any "pot shots" at us! They also sadly announced 53 layoffs the same day. My thoughts and prayers still go out to the families that have to go through that. But the funniest thing about the newspaper bailout is the contingency that they could not make any political endorsements. That is where the JOKE comes in. You don't have to endorse anyone if all you do is praise one side with your reporting and demonize the other. How stupid do the liberals think we are?

Does anyone remember this brilliant letter to the editor which appeared months before the election:

Beware Charismatic Men Who Preach 'Change'

Editor, Times-Dispatch:

Each year I get to celebrate Independence Day twice. On June 30 I celebrate my independence day and on July 4 I celebrate America's. This year is special, because it marks the 40th anniversary of my independence.

On June 30, 1968, I escaped Communist Cuba and a few months later I was in the United States to stay. That I happened to arrive in Richmond on Thanksgiving Day is just part of the story, but I digress.

I've thought a lot about the anniversary this year. The election-year rhetoric has made me think a lot about Cuba and what transpired there. In the late 1950s, most Cubans thought Cuba needed a change, and they were right. So when a young leader came along, every Cuban was at least receptive.

When the young leader spoke eloquently and passionately and denounced the old system, the press fell in love with him. They never questioned who his friends were or what he really believed in. When he said he would help the farmers and the poor and bring free medical care and education to all, everyone followed. When he said he would bring justice and equality to all, everyone said "Praise the Lord." And when the young leader said, "I will be for change and I'll bring you change," everyone yelled, "Viva Fidel!"

But nobody asked about the change, so by the time the executioner's guns went silent the people's guns had been taken away. By the time everyone was equal, they were equally poor, hungry, and oppressed. By the time everyone received their free education it was worth nothing. By the time the press noticed, it was too late, because they were now working for him. By the time the change was finally implemented Cuba had been knocked down a couple of notches to Third-World status. By the time the change was over more than a million people had taken to boats, rafts, and inner tubes. You can call those who made it ashore anywhere else in the world the most fortunate Cubans. And now I'm back to the beginning of my story.

Luckily, we would never fall in America for a young leader who promised change without asking, what change? How will you carry it out? What will it cost America?

Would we?

Here’s what Gannet is doing in Iowa: (I’m not very good at posting anything other than a comment, so if I botch this up, I’d encourage someone to go to the link and clean up my mess.

Source: http://theiowarepublican.com/home/2009/03/25/the-secret-taxpayer-bailout-of-the-des-moines-register/

The Secret Taxpayer Bailout of the Des Moines Register

This past Monday, the Gannett Company, the parent company of The Des Moines Register, announced that its employees would experience another round of week-long furloughs and hinted that additional furloughs could follow. Gannett says the moves are necessary to avoid additional layoffs.

Gannett also announced that all employees making over $90,000.00 will have to take a two-week furlough, and all salaries at the Register and Iowa City Press-Citizen will be frozen. Gannett isn’t alone; other newspaper companies, like Iowa-based Lee Newspapers, are dealing with declining revenues which has led to layoffs and furloughs for existing workers.

Furloughs are not just confined to the newspaper industry. Some state agencies have furloughed their employees. The Iowa Judicial Branch, which has already furloughed their employees two days this year, has planned additional furlough days for April 10th, April 24th, May 8th, May 22nd, June 5th, and June 19th.

It is interesting to see the different approach to the use of furloughs. The Judicial Branch is using periodic, individual days to limit the down time for the court system, which cause the court system to be shut down for one or two days per month. The newspaper industry is using week long furloughs and staggering their employees so that they are not shut down over a week-long period.

The two different approaches led The Iowa Republican to look around and see if there were other advantages to week-long furloughs over the more periodic approach. After a call to the Iowa Workforce Development office, we learned that companies like Gannett that require week-long furloughs make it possible for their workers to draw unemployment benefits.

The Workforce Development officer said all the employees needs to do is submit their unemployment claim with Iowa Workforce Development on the first day of their furlough and then call in to the Workforce Development weekly earnings hotline and report that they had no earning for the week. They will then receive one week of unemployment benefits.

Judicial Branch workers who will go without eight days of pay this spring are not as fortunate. Workers who are furloughed on periodic days cannot claim unemployment benefits since they still earn a wage during the week of their furlough.

The Gannett Company isn’t doing anything illegal, but when more and more Iowans are losing their jobs, it’s distasteful for their employees, who still have jobs, to drain funds from the unemployment system. The unemployment system is funded by Iowa businesses who pay taxes into the Iowa Unemployment Compensation Trust Fund, and Workforce Development then makes payments to eligible jobless workers.

The key word is “jobless.” There is no doubt that these furloughs are difficult for the workers and the families of those who are required to take them, but they should be thankful they have a job. By using week-long furloughs, Gannett is using the unemployment system to essentially help cover the cost of paying their workforce.

Making matters worse, Gannett recently paid its five NEOs (named executive officers) nearly $2 million in cash bonuses. So while their employees are on furlough and likely drawing unemployment benefits, Gannett CEO Craig Dubow is enjoying an $875,000.00 bonus.

There has been ample discussion about the outrageous bonuses AIG paid its workers. Many editorial boards from various newspapers have criticized AIG for paying outlandish bonuses when the company is in the tank. Yet, the newspaper industry is guilty of the same sin, paying six figure bonuses when the company is forcing its employees to take an unpaid week of work. And, just like AIG, Gannett is cheating the system at the cost of the taxpayer.

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