LABOR FIGHT HINDERS SECURITY BILL (AKA: DEMS putting UNIONS over USA)

WASHINGTON (AP) - The Senate was unable Tuesday to break the labor rights stalemate over legislation creating a Homeland Security Department, lengthening the odds that Congress will reach compromise before the November elections.

An attempt by Democratic leaders to bring debate to a close failed by 15 votes get the 60 necessary to prevail. Although talks were continuing, the likelihood of a deal was growing dimmer by the hour as lawmakers try to wrap up business by Oct. 11 for the fall campaigns.

``It's going to require a lot of work'' to get done, said Rep. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, a close ally of President Bush. ``Our goal is to end up with a department that works, or else not have a department.''

Sen. Joseph Lieberman, D-Conn., said ``the clock is ticking'' and raised the possibility that the bill will be shelved for good if the Senate turns to a use-of-force resolution regarding Iraq.

``Will it ever emerge? I don't know,'' said Lieberman, chief sponsor of a Democratic version of the legislation.

Many Senate Democrats say Bush's unwavering insistence on broad powers over thousands of government employees is to blame for the impasse on a bill that passed the House in July and once seemed assured of quick passage.

``They say, 'It's either our way or no way,''' said Sen. Byron Dorgan, D-N.D. ``It's nonsense. There's no reason we can't have a compromise.''

Republicans contend that Democratic political allegiance to labor unions is preventing the bill from passing with Bush's proposed powers intact. ``There are a lot of vested interests out there who don't want to change,'' said Sen. Fred Thompson, R-Tenn.

The central issue remains Bush's demands for greater authority to hire, fire and deploy the new agency's estimated 170,000 employees and to exempt them from union bargaining agreements for reasons of national security. Bush and congressional Republicans say these powers are critical to quickly deal with future terrorist threats in an agency composed of 22 existing federal entities.

``Do we really want to bring in the bad old way of doing things in our government that has produced bad results?'' Thompson said. ``The answer is no.''

Democrats who control the Senate say Bush's proposals would effectively wreck many civil service protections in the new agency and amount to an assault on union bargaining rights. Bush has threatened to veto a Democratic bill that doesn't include the powers.

Talks to explore a possible compromise continued Monday among White House staffers and aides to Sens. Lincoln Chafee, R-R.I., John Breaux, D-La., and Ben Nelson, D-Neb. Those three moderates have offered an alternative on the labor rights issue that appears to have a slim Senate majority but is being blocked by Republicans amid opposition by Bush.

The meeting, also attended by aides to Thompson and GOP Sen. Phil Gramm of Texas, made little headway because, according to one participant, Bush continues to insist on getting 100 percent of his proposals on management flexibility and union waiver authority. The moderates' alternative sets up conditions for use of the union national security waiver that Bush says take away from his current powers.

``It is unclear whether further negotiations can lead to a mutually acceptable solution,'' said Chafee spokesman Jeff Neal.

Democrats are also frustrated at Bush's repeated criticisms of them on the homeland security issue, particularly in speeches at political fund-raisers. They say Bush only reluctantly embraced their idea for the department after months of resistance, then has issued veto threats while blaming Democrats for the stalemate.

The polls show the Democrats in disarray.

The New Jersey situation is most interesting. I am pretty certain that putting a new Democrat on the ballot to replace the torch is a forgone conclusion. According to Rush the New Jersey Supreme Court has agreed to hear the case of changing the name on the ballot. Uh!!! huh!!! I can't imagine the Democrats pulling the torch, with out the assurance that the court would so rule.

I can't imagine the Torch pulling out in despair. Why did he do it? He had a reason and there is a plan. If not, it is the first time in history a Democrat acted on a national scale with out a clear cut plan for victory. The Wall Street Journal says he was pressured to "pull out". He had to get something in return. A new jersey paper was reporting that Bill Bradley said no dice to running. And that Frank Lautenberg, the retired New Jersey Senator, said yes he would run and put up the money for his campaign. WOW! Preplanned or what!!! Surely checks to the campaign committee have been written. WOW!!

You know before this happened the Democrats surely polled the chances of a new Democratic candidate winning. I think there is a good chance the deal was that Lautenberg will run. I think their polls showed he had a good chance of winning and will be ordered on the ballot by the New Jersey Supreme Court. I think that he will then in a year or so retire again for health reasons or family reasons or a bad headache or a cramp in his toe, etc.

Lautenberg is there to save the seat for the Democrats not serve six more years.

The governor could then appoint the Torch to the vacant Lautenberg seat. Did I mention BINGO!!!?

They will have a year or so to paint the Torch as having never been charged with any wrong doing. And that when push came to shove the Torch gave up everything for the good of his party. I think there is a good chance the Torch will be a Senator again in a year or two.

There were meetings last week between the Torch and Daschle. There were confabs with Clinton reported in the press. This is not a spur of the moment decision by disheartened Torch. This is a planned strategy and there is something in it for the Torch...

Betcha....

This is one article about it from RNC:

Why a Flexible Homeland Security Agency is Critical to Our National Defense

September 25, 2002

1. After September 11, 2001, the Customs Service wanted to require its inspectors at the 301 ports of entry to wear radiation detection pagers to help detect attempts to import nuclear or radiological materials across our borders. The National Treasury Employees Union objected, saying that wearing the pagers should be voluntary, and sought to invoke collective bargaining over the issue, which would (under the best of circumstances) have taken at least a year to resolve. In the end the union backed down, and the Customs Service believes it did so in part because of the implicit threat that the President would exercise his national security authority to exempt the relevant units of the Customs Service from collective bargaining under Title 5, Section 7103.

2. The Border Patrol has established special tactical teams that need to deploy at a moment’s notice. Despite this time sensitive mission, the American Federation of Government Employees negotiated an agreement requiring that the Border Patrol ensure that “suitable eating places, drug stores, barber shops, places of worships, cleaning establishments, and similar places necessary for the sustenance, health, or comfort of the employee to foster the efficient performance of government business.”

3. After September 11, 2001, the Customs Service signed cooperative agreements with several foreign ports allowing Customs inspectors to pre-inspect cargo abroad before it sailed into U.S. ports. The Customs Service wanted to send it best agents to these ports for these sensitive foreign assignments. The National Treasury Employees Union objected, saying that internal union rules should determine who should get these assignments, not Customs Service managers. Fortunately, the union backed down before bargaining to impasse and filing a grievance with the Federal Labor Relations Authority. The Customs Service believes they did so in part because of the implicit threat that the President would exercise his national security authority under Title 5, Section 7103.

4. In 1999, the Border Patrol decided that agents should be armed and trained to use “side handle batons” as an intermediate use-of-force weapon. The American Federation of Government Employees, which represents many Border Patrol officers, wanted to include this issue in its larger negotiations with management. When the Border Patrol, citing public and officer safety, decided to implement the program despite the union’s objections, the union appealed to the Federal Labor Relations Authority. The FLRA sided with the union and agreed that this would mean a more than de minimis effect on conditions of employment, and thus halted its implementation pending further proceedings before an Administrative Law Judge.

5. Since 1995, the INS has been unable to change its body search policy to protect its employees because the American Federation of Government Employees has forced the issue to be part of its broader contract negotiations with management. This has not only left INS employees exposed to physical harm and potential financial damage, but leaves INS operations open to lawsuits based on charges of constitutional violations of an individual’s rights regarding detention and body searches.

6. In the federal system, it can take more than a year to remove poor performing employees. Although there are emergency authorities to fire employees on national security grounds, in 2000 only 6 federal employees – out of a possible 1.8 million – were fired using this authority, and in 2001, only three. In the vast majority of cases, an employee is entitled to 30 days leave, advance notice of dismissal, leave with pay, and a lengthy, multiple avenue appellate process. In the meantime, the agency cannot fill the employee’s position on a permanent basis. In a typical case, an employee is entitled to the following steps:

Investigation by the Office of Special Counsel -- 4 months
Hearing and decision by regional Merit Systems Protection Board -- 4 months
Review by Merit Systems Protection Board Headquarters -- 4 months
Review by Equal Employment Opportunity Commission -- 36 months
Review by all three levels of the federal court system -- 6 months to several years

7. Under the current federal pay system, there are 15 different “grades” of pay, which were prescribed in statute 50 years ago. These grades no longer meet the needs of the modern government workforce. For example, in this system, no “grade-skipping” is allowed – even for promotions. Federal employees must serve at least one year within a grade level (known as “time-in-grade”) before advancing to a new one. Career ladders also stop at Grade 15, at which point employees reach a salary ceiling and are given annual, inflation-based raises. In general, a poor employee will receive the same automatic annual pay increase as an excellent employee. For example, a new supervisor at GS-13, step 1, in San Francisco whose performance exceeds expectations is entitled to an in-grade pay increase of $2,357 after 52 weeks at that step. Another newly promoted supervisor at that same grade and step, but whose performance is barely adequate is also entitled to the exact same pay increase after 52 weeks.

8. Under the current civil service system, it can take up to five months to hire qualified personnel. For example, in order to hire a specialized inspections official at the Customs Service, the following process would have to be followed:

Develop written job description -- 4 weeks
Ask Personnel to establish and fill position -- 2 weeks
Classify position for series and grade -- 4 weeks
Conduct job analysis to determine critical elements of job -- 1 week
Develop recruiting strategy -- 1 week
Announce position -- 3 weeks
Rate applicants to determine qualifications -- 2 weeks
Rank qualified applicants -- 1 week
Refer top three qualified applicants and schedule interviews -- 2 weeks
Conduct interviews, select candidate, and notify -- 1 week

"Prosecution...NOW!!"
(To be sung to Bob Dylan's "Desolation Row"*)
*(9th Track on Dylan's "Highway 61 Revisited")

Right's sellin' postcards of Re-Impeachment...
We're Kickin' Sleaze Outta Town!!
The bettin' parlors're filled with Patriots...
The FReepers are in town!!!!
We listen to the Maja Rushi...
He's got us in a trance...
One hand is at the throat of the Lib'rals...
The other's behind his back!!
And the S.S. dudes, they're our FRiends...
They lurk, therefore, they know...
That these FReepers and I...Left knows we're Right...
As we March Against Left's "'HO"!!!

Yes, bil Clinton, he is so sleazy...
"It takes MUD to know scum!" MUD smiles...=^D
Slick underestimates MUD's moxie...
MUD's gonna drive bil WILD!!!
Then, here comes T-Mac...vile Terry...
The Chairman...of Left's Dee-N-See!!!
So MUD says, "Ashcroft...YOU SHALL INDICT T-Mac... By Halloween!!"
Mudboy pleaded with the Left...
"Won'tcha let Slick Willie go?!
Is Slick's Legacy really worth...
Yer givin' up yer SOUL?!"

And now Left's goons do Clinton's bidding...
Left's stars...have they really no pride?!
They support the Vile Rapist...
So us "Nazis" won't stop INFANTICIDE!!
All except fer FoxNewsChannel...
TeeVee Networks should be ashamed...
Fer ignorin' TYRANNY...
Historians shall lay blame!!
And us Right-Wing Christians...we're FReepin'!!
We're singin', "Slick is just MUD's 'HO!!"
Slick's gonna FEEL the vengeance of the Right...
Willard's Prison-Bound!!

Young Chelsea, she's soooo CORRUPTED...
Poor girl, Webb's daughter's been crazed...
On her twenty-second birthday...
Her young future's already stained.
To her, Truth must be soooo pedantic...
Her mind can't shake Left's bent...
Her Daddy may sleep with her best FRiends...
But that's just "Fine" with the Left!!!
'Cuz all Left's lies depend upon...the Media...YES, THEY KNOW!!!
Chelsea spends her time askin' Reno,
"Why's my Dad a 'HO?!!"

Clinton tells lies like the Taliban...
Don't Left know Slick's Populism's BUNK?!!
Fascist goals taint Left's PowerWhores...
And their friends, the Chi-Com Monks.
Billzabubba seems vacuously FRightful...
Yet, Slick's thugs pose no real threat...
'Cuz while Bill's off drainin' his pipe...
MUD's Dethronin' EX-Pres-i-dent!!!
You folks may think we can't git Slick...
But Re-Impeachment's "ON", I KNOW!!
Bill'll pay the price fer his Vile TREASON!!!
Fer the Slaughter at Waco!!!

Med'yuh Whore'd...it sleeps thru MURDER!!
Right must wake the SHEEPLE up!!
This is no time fer patience...
Mudboy's singin', "LEFT'S GIG IS UP!!!"
Lord has cursed the Ozark Loser...
Put MUD in charge of fightin' Whorealdo...
Help Doc Raoul FReep with Angelwood...
Militiamen are kewl!!
We all play on the FreeRepublic[.com]...
Come and join us, folks...
If you folks care about yer Country...
DEMAND PROSECUTION...NOW!!!

In DeeCee streets, Left fails their Victims...
Democrats're a Party Fer Elites...
Left's Pantheon of Heroes...
Are but Pimps fer the Fed'ral Beast!!
Left is spoon-feedin' FEAR to the Masses...
In hopes State Power will endure...
Men, Lib'rals KILL Viable Young Infants...
To call that "CHOICE" seems quite absurd!!
Still, the NAGS* are shoutin' at pregnant girls...
"Come join us, gals, we got Roe...
That "tissue mass" is just yer punishment...
Abort IT, girl...then we'll own yer SOUL!!"

*(NAGS=National Association of Gals)

Way past midnight, INS Agents...
Led by that Ol' Reno Shrew...
Raged down upon young Elian's home...
Guns aimed at the camera crew!!
Then Slick sent Elian back to Castro...
Poor kid dreams of bein' FRee!!
Re-Enslaved on Slick Willie's orders...
With Castro pullin' strings!!
If Liberty's such a hassle...
Tell them Socialists to go...
'Cuz this Country was founded by Patriots...
Chantin' "Sic Semper Tyrannis!!!"

FReepers, be Heroes...JOIN US!!!
The Culture War is "ON!!"
Bold Mudboy is singin',
"Is you Right or is you Wrong?!"
And George Orwell and J.R.R. Tolkien...
Forewarned against Tyrannic Power...
While my darlin' Jewel joins the Right...
She and MUD're tradin' flowers!! [LOL!!]
Return, my FRiends, to Liberty!!...
Victory goes to the BOLD!!
Folks, this Country must rethink how much...
We love...Equal Justice Fer ALL!!

(Sweet Mudboy harpin')

Yes, MUD conceived a letter yesterday...
In response to the one Slick wrote...
Clinton asked MUD, "How much to stop this?!"
MUD sang, "Slick, yer a FReepin' JOKE!!!
Them FReepers that I've mentioned...
Slick, I know them, they don't play!!
Folks, we gotta re-arrange this Nation...
And teach them Lib'rals about SHAME!!
Fight now...Warriors Fer the Good...
Just save yer excuses, bro...
Help MUD FReep the EX-President...
Fer Condamnation...NOW!!!!

(MUD harpin' and strummin')

Mudboy Slim (8/21/00)

Why can't these republicans and, specifically the President, explain in simple language

Let me give you an example of the media at work. I spent 35 years doing this see how you like a story about you.


     Leading Repubican advocate plain talk has turned on 
     fellow  republican co-horts over the Homeland 
     Security Bill. Plain talk used hard words to   
     critisize the Bush handling of the homeland security 
     bill currently before congress. Plain talk an 
     outspoken right wing advocate as well as most 
     Democrats are attacking the way Bush is handling the 
     matter.

     Experts say it is only a matter of time untill Bush 
     has to agree that the Demorats are right on the 
     matter. Democrat leaders told reporters that when both 
     the right and the left turn on Bush for his handling 
     of Homeland Security he has no choice but to fold his 
     hand.  

     An informed observer was quoted as saying, Bush is 
     wrong in his approach to handling homeland 
     security Even the right knows it, and is critical 
     of Bush's actions.

Do you think I said that you and the democrats are in agreement? You had best read that story again.

Open you mouth and I can accurately discribe what you say and mislead lots of people. Try this as my reaction to the above story.


  Right wing fire brand common tator tore into plain talk   
  in an angry response to a media story.  Tator termed 
  plain talk a traiter to the right for throwing in with the
  Democats on the Homeland Security bill issue.

See the media put words in your mouth and I believed them. Then it will use your reaction to my attack.. etc, etc well you get the ida.

If it is their camera, their mike and their printing press it does not matter how you make your case. What appears on TV and on the radio and on the wire services is your message twisted the media's way.

See how it works... it is a fun game. And it is played every day by the media. The press is full of it

in more ways than one.

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