A View From The Left -

WARS ABROAD, WARS AT HOME

 

GOP Tax Law Hurts Workers...Again

'Absolutely Repulsive': After $1.5 Trillion Tax Giveaway to the Rich, Trump Cancels Modest Pay Raise for Federal Workers

Suddenly expressing deep concern for "fiscal sustainability" just months after signing a tax bill that is expected to add $1.9 trillion to the national debt over the next ten years, President Donald Trump announced on Thursday that he is canceling pay raises for nearly 1.8 million federal workers because he claims "federal agency budgets cannot sustain such increases."  The president's abrupt move—which comes less than a week after a federal court struck down his attempt to undermine federal workers' right to bargain collectively—was met with widespread condemnation by progressive lawmakers and labor activists, who argued that the $25 billion Trump claimed the pay raises would cost is a drop in the bucket compared to the GOP's enormous gifts to the rich.  "President Trump pushed through a tax scam that gave unprecedented handouts to billionaires and corporations—but believes it's too expensive to pay hardworking federal workers a reasonable wage," wrote Rep. Barbara Lee (D-Calif.). "What an insulting way to mark Labor Day."   More

 

NOTE: Federal employees of the Departments of Defense, Homeland Security and Veterans Affairs take up half the salary bill

 

Corporate Profits Way Up – Wages, not so much. . .

 

2017 WAS A GREAT YEAR FOR CEOS.

Earnings for the top executives at America’s largest companies skyrocketed in 2017, while wages for the average worker hardly budged.

CEOs for the 350 largest US companies earned an average pay of $18.9 million in 2017, a sharp 17 percent increase from the previous year, according to a new study by the left leaning Economic Policy Institute. These estimates include salaries, bonuses, restricted stock grants, cashed-in company stock, and other forms of compensation for chief executives at those firms. Meanwhile, wages for the average US worker grew a paltry 0.2 percent during that time.  This means that the CEOs made about 312 times more money than the average worker last year — an even larger gap than in 2016, when they made 270 times more money, according to EPI. But even more shocking is how much the gap has widened in the past 50 years: In 1965, CEOs earned only 20 times more than the average worker.    More

 

The Arithmetic of the CEO-Worker Pay Divide

The Economic Policy Institute reported earlier this month that the average CEO of the 350 largest firms in the U.S. pocketed $18.9 million in 2017, a 17.6 percent pay increase over 2016.  At the same time, typical worker compensation remained flat, rising merely 0.3 percent.  If you do some quick math, dividing 17.6 percent by 0.3 percent, you might conclude that CEO pay in 2017 increased about 60 times faster than worker pay. But if you take a moment and do some more careful calculations, that CEO-worker pay gap will soar incredibly higher — to a CEO pay boost over 15,000 times the pay hike for workers.    More

 

Centrist Think Tanks Ponder Populism’s Rise, but Hesitate to Change

The Center for American Progress (CAP), linked to the Democratic Party establishment, and the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), which is close to the Republican Party, have issued two long papers in recent months reflecting their high anxiety over the rapid growth of populism on both sides of the Atlantic — especially in light of the shocking success of both Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump against Hillary Clinton and mainstream Republicans during the 2016 presidential election cycle. But the papers suggest that neither organization is ready to depart from the economic and military policies preferred by the powerful elites that still control the two major parties. And the more recent paper attacks Jill Stein and Bernie Sanders for being insufficiently hawkish in regard to Russia and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).    More

 

Turkish Divestment Bill Adopted by California State Legislature

Turkish Divestment Bill Adopted by California State Legislature

Today, the California State Assembly adopted AB 1597, the Divestment from Turkish Bonds Act...

HOME      DONATE      SUBSCRIBE     EVENTS  TURKISH DIVESTMENT BILL ADOPTED BY CALIFORNIA STATE LEGISLATURE Armenian Assembly Western Region Director Mihran Toumajan, Armenian Assembly activist Helvina Grikoryan, CA State Assemblymember and AB 1597 author Adrin Nazarian (D-46), and Armenian Assembly activist Deacon Daniel Aydenian SACRAMENTO, CA - Today, the California State Assembly adopted AB 1597, the Divestment from Turkish Bonds Act, sending the bill to the Governor's desk. The State Assembly action follows passage of the legislation by the California State Senate on August 29 by a vote of 36-0 with 4 abstentions, reported the Armenian Assembly of America (Assembly).    "I am humbled and grateful for my colleagues in the Legislature for joining with me to fight for justice for the 1.5 million Armenian souls who perished in the (Armenian) Genocide," stated California State Assemblymember Adrin Nazarian (D-46), the author of the bill. Armenian Assembly activist Helvina Grikoryan, CA State Senate Minority Leader Patricia Bates (R-36), Armenian Assembly Western Region Director Mihran Toumajan, and Armenian Assembly activist Deacon Daniel Aydenian "The Armenian Assembly salutes California State Assemblymember Nazarian for his foresight in introducing this pivotal piece of legislation, and for his leadership throughout the past two years in shepherding the bill in both legislative chambers. We also thank California State Senators and AB 1597 co-authors, Scott Wilk (R-21) and Anthony Portantino (D-25), for their advocacy of this bill throughout the Senate committee process and on the State Senate floor," stated Armenian Assembly Western Region Director Mihran Toumajan. Armenian Assembly Western Region Director Mihran Toumajan and Armenian Assembly activists from California's Central Valley, Deacon Daniel Aydenian and Helvina Grikoryan, were in the State Capitol on August 27 to educate State Senators on the economic and moral merits of the bill, prior to this week's Senate floor vote. The Armenian Assembly delegation was pleased to hold a meeting with CA State Senate Minority Leader, Patricia Bates (R-36), a long-time friend of Armenian Americans in California's Orange County, on the significance of bipartisan support for AB 1597. In June 2018, Toumajan delivered  testimony in favor of AB 1597 during a hearing before Members of the California State Senate Standing Committee on Public Employment and Retirement (CalPERS), prior to that committee's favorable 4-0 vote. Armenian Assembly activist Deacon Daniel Aydenian, CA State Senator Anthony Portantino (D-25), Armenian Assembly activist Helvina Grikoryan, and Armenian Assembly Western Region Director Mihran Toumajan Authored by Assemblymember Nazarian, AB 1597 requires the California Public Employee Retirement System (CalPERS) and California State Teachers' Retirement System (CalSTRS) to liquidate all investments issued, owned, controlled, or managed by the government of Turkey, and, as amended by the State Senate, "upon passage of a federal law imposing sanctions on Turkey for failure to acknowledge the Armenian Genocide." According to current data, CalPERS has investment holdings in bonds directly issued by the Republic of Turkey in excess of $700 million, while CalSTRS has similar holdings in Turkish government-issued bonds amounting to approximately $70 million.   Earlier this month, while referring to the impact of the potential bicameral passage of AB 1597, Assemblymember Nazarian stated: "California is sending a clear message to Turkey to stop their deceitful campaign of genocide denial."   The Armenian Assembly has consistently supported divestment legislation and recalls its swift approval by the State Assembly's Public Employees, Retirement, and Social Security Committee in April 2017, as well as its overwhelming approval (67-0) on the floor of the California State Assembly in June 2017. Armenian Assembly activist Deacon Daniel Aydenian, CA State Senator Jeff Stone (R-28), Armenian Assembly activist Helvina Grikoryan, and Armenian Assembly Western Region Director Mihran Toumajan If signed by Governor Jerry Brown, the bill will continue California's storied history of divesting from countries that violate human rights. Garnering the gratitude of civil rights champion Nelson Mandela, then-Governor George Deukmejian spearheaded the California State Legislature's successful efforts in divesting from South Africa for the latter's horrific apartheid policy, while also inspiring the Regents of the University of California to follow suit. Subsequent efforts at divestment by the California State Legislature include divesting from Sudan for committing genocide in Darfur, as well as divesting from Iran for committing human rights violations and for its state sponsorship of international terrorism. Established in 1972, the Armenian Assembly of America is the largest Washington-based nationwide organization promoting public understanding and awareness of Armenian issues. The Assembly is a non-partisan, 501(c)(3) tax-exempt membership organization. ### NR#: 2018-038 Join us in Washington, D.C. on Monday, September 24th and Tuesday, September 25th for Armenian Assembly of America's National Advocacy Conference!

"Lawrence History Live!" Schedule Our Speakers Series at the Festival

"Lawrence History Live!" Schedule Our Speakers Series at the Festival The Festival features, as part of its historical and labor exhibits, Lawrence History Live! and the Community Forum, a place for discussion of labor, industrial heritage, education, and other community  issues. Lawrence History Live! presents its 10th edition after having been created by Linda and Jurg Siegenthaler in 2008.   Within the Lawrence History Live! tent, we'll have seating and a platform where historians, writers, union representatives, and community activists will present their insights on Lawrence's history and present. In a question-and-answer format, festival visitors will be able to participate in what will be an exciting encounter with the past and with society today.   Again this year, there will be a second speaker's venue at the Community Corner, adjacent to our history and labor section.  A soap box is also provided.   So, there is plenty to take in!  Get involved, learn, and enjoy!     12:15-12:30pm: Researching Lawrence: In Person and Online by Amita Kiley, Collections Manager and Research Coordinator, Lawrence History Center 12:30-12:45pm: Saving UMass Boston: Students, Labor and the Fight to Education by Zac Bears, Executive Director, Public Higher Education Network of Massachusetts 12:45-1:00pm: When We Fight, We Win: Triangle Workers Win Their Union by Amy Banelis, Member, SEIU 509 1:00-1:15pm: CLASS on Strike: The Story of Our Fight for Fair Wages by Thom Baca, Member, SEIU 509 1:15-1:35pm: The 1919 Lawrence Strike for '48-54': Building on the 1912 Struggle by Dexter Arnold, Labor Historian, 2016 Bread & Roses Hall of Fame Recipient 1:35-2:35pm: Community Forum: "Let's talk housing! Young people, housing, and the future of Lawrence" Featuring Beyazmin Jimenez (Citizens' Housing and Planning Association) and Vladimir Saldaña (Lawrence CommunityWorks). Facilitator Glennys Sanchez, President BRHC. 2:35-2:50pm: Mass. Jobs with Justice: Building Working Class Power & Coalition and Campaigns that Win by Gillian Mason, Co-Director, Massachusetts Jobs with Justice 2:50-3:05pm: Fighting for Respect at Logan Airport by Manuel Pena, Member, SEIU 32BJ 3:05-3:20pm: Lawrence Public Schools: Receivorship Update by Frank McLaughlin, President, Lawrence Teachers Union 3:20-3:35PM: Fighting for Transgender Rights: Setting the Stage for National Values by Kelsey Barowich, Coalition Organizer, Freedom for All Massachusetts Festival Schedule

Thank you to our Sponsors Visit our sponsorship page to learn about the different levels of giving, their associated benefits and join the sponsors below! Questions may be sent to Committee Member, Jim Beauchesne.