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Activism, politics, and beer from PA-based Raging Chicken Press
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Friday Mar 12, 2021
Friday Mar 12, 2021
The American Recovery Act is now law. President Biden signed the bill into law a day ahead of schedule and some people will start receiving deposits in their bank accounts as early as this weekend. The American Recovery Act is a real game changer and is raising the prospect that the Reagan Era is finally coming to an end.
The House of Representatives passed the PRO Act, one of the most significant pieces of pro-labor legislation in decades. AFL-CIO president RIchard Trumka called the legislation “a game changer.” The PRO Act would effectively undercut so-called right-to-work (for less) lawes in more than two dozen states; prevent employers from forcing workers to attend anti-union “captive audience” meetings; allow newly certified unions to seek arbitration and mediation for first contracts; prevent employers from using an employee’s immigration status against them when determining the terms of their employment; and; establish financial penalties for companies, executives, corporate directors, and other company officials who violate workers’ rights. The bill faces a fight in the Senate, which may push Democrats to finally end the filibuster.
The House also passed gun legislation that would strengthen background checks.
Oklahoma’s Republican dominated state house passed a bill to give immunity to drivers who run over protesters. If signed into law, the legislation would shield from liability any driver who “unintentionally” injures or kills a protester while “fleeing a riot” as long as they had a “reasonable believe” that they were in danger. Yep, that would be qualified immunity to run down protesters. The bill also calls for $5000 in fines and jail time for protesters who “unlawfully obstruct” traffic.
John Carroll University in Cleveland now says it can fire individual tenured faculty members without cause in cases of “budgetary hardship.” Several faculty have already been fired and programs are slated to be eliminated at the stroke of the pen. Look out higher ed.
Biden’s dogs get kicked from the White House.
And what’s this about Little Marco supporting Amazon workers union organizing drive?
A majority of New York’s Democratic Delegation to the United States House has called on Governor Cuomo to resign in the wake of his growing scandal. This includes Jerry Nadler, Mondaire Jones, Alexandria Ocasio Cortez, Jamaal Bowman, Carolyn Maloney and more.
The Pennsylvania Budget and Policy Center has a complete rundown on what Pennsylvanians can expect from the American Rescue Package. 5.9 million Pennsylvanians will receive $14.8 billion in direct payments. Hundreds of thousands of Pennsylvanians will see their healthcare premiums decrease and a quarter of Pennsylvania’s uninsured are now eligible for free bronze or low-cost silver packages.
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania will be receiving $7.2 billion from the American Rescue Package, which will help plug the state’s $2.5 billion budget deficit and county and municipal governments from around the state will receive an extra $5 billion dollars.
Bucks County Republican Party uses “Johnson & Johnson” for its caller ID to trick residents who are hoping to get the vaccine only to hear a Republican Party message about attending a petition-signing event before next week’s signature deadline.
The York-based convenience store company, Rutter’s, said that the $2/hour “hazard pay” they provided employees during the pandemic will now be permanent. That means that the starting wage will be $12.50/hr, increased to $13/hr after three months.
PASSHE Chancellor Greenstein was at a Zoom town hall with faculty and staff at Kutztown University. When pressed on a series of problems at the university including lack of access to mental health services and racism in the campus police, Greenstein said that the solution is to do what they do in the tech industry, wildly experiment
NASA named the landing site of the Perseverance rover, “Octavia E. Butler Landing,” after the celebrated African American science fiction writer. Butler’s novels include Kindred, Parable of the Sower, and her Xenogenesis or “Lilith’s Brood” series. Her dystopian novels explore themes of racism, exploitation, global warming, and women’s rights. She died Feb. 24, 2006.
The Navajo Nation is working with NASA’s Perseverance Rover team to name new features identified on Mars. The President of the Navajo Nation, Jonathan Nez said that “The partnership that the Nez-Lizer Administration has built with NASA will help to revitalize our Navajo language. We hope that having our language used in the Perseverance mission will inspire more of our young Navajo people to understand the importance and the significance of learning our language. Our words were used to help win World War II, and now we are helping to navigate and learn more about the planet Mars.” Among the words chosen to be used for Mars formations, are Navajo words for “red rock,” “diligence,” and “amongst the sand,” and “Máaz” – the Navajo word for “Mars.” One of the Perseverance mission scientists, Aaron Yazzie, is Navajo and said they worked hard to come up with translations that resemble Navajo spellingsPresident Jonathan Nez and a team of advisors came up with a list of 50 names for the NASA team to start with and plan to keep adding more. According to a news release, the team had some suggestions like, “tséwózí bee hazhmeezh,” or “rolling rows of pebbles, like waves.”
China and Russia sign an agreement to build a Moon base. According to a Russian statement, the station "is a complex of experimental research facilities created on the surface and/or in the orbit of the Moon, designed to carry out multidisciplinary and multipurpose research work." The move suggests that Russia is moving away from its long collaboration with the U.S. and may chart a new path once the International Space Station as the program is scheduled to end at the end of the 2020s. Russia also notably did not sign the Artemis Accords, calling the rules too “U.S. centric.” Are you ready for Moonraker the sequel?
Thanks to my friend Stu in Northern Ireland, I’ll be watching Galician Noir this weekend. Stu’s wife is from Galicia, the Northwestern corner of Spain that feels like your in the Northwest corner of Ireland.
If we want a progressive future, we need progressive media. Support pull-no-punches, homegrown progressive media today by becoming a patron of Raging Chicken for as little as $5/month. Simply go to Patreon.com/RCPress. We got rid of Trump, now the hard work of building a progressive future begins. We’re here for the fight and we need you. Become a patron for the price of a good beer once a month. Help keep the media in the movement and the movement in the media. Become a patron for as little as $5/month by going to Patreon.com/RCPress. Not ready to become a patron? Drop us a one time donation at PayPal.me/rcpress.
Monday Mar 08, 2021
Monday Mar 08, 2021
On today’s show I am thrilled to welcome State Rep. Elizabeth Fiedler and State Sen. Nikil Saval to the show. Rep. Fiedler represents District 184 in South Philadelphia, a seat she won against a deep-pocketed Democratic machine. Let’s face it, in significant sections of Philly, the Democratic Primary is where all the action is. She ran a strong general election campaign with two other members of PA’s own squad, Rep. Summer Lee and Rep. Sara Innamorato, who also won huge upset victories against Democratic machine politicians.
In 2020, State Sen. Nikil Saval won his election to represent the First State Senate District in Philadelphia. Sen. Saval’s district hugs the Delaware River from the Philly airport in the south to Sections of Port Richmond in the north. His election win set a new round of shock waves through the Democratic party establishment and state politics. Yes, Democratic party voters will elect an open socialist to office.
In a remarkable short period of time the progressive left is on the rise in PA and that’s made a huge difference in the political discourse - but perhaps more importantly, what we might call our political horizons. Suddenly things seem possible. What was once PA’s own progressive squad is becoming a battalion.
I wanted to have Rep. Fiedler and Sen. Saval on the show this week because it’s budget season in Harrisburg and they are both part of a renewed push for a People’s Budget along with the great folks at We the People - PA. This time around, however, progressives are exercising their muscles and pushing the political discourse. And not just in the State Capitol. They continue to work with the movements that they have been part of for years. So, it’s a progressive budget and progressive-left movements on the table tonight. Welcome to the show.
Friday Mar 05, 2021
Friday Mar 05, 2021
The Sunrise Movement launched a campaign for “Good Jobs for All” last night. The video launch event featured Sunrise activists; Sara Nelson - President of the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA; and, Rep. Ayanna Pressley, who introduced a historic jobs guarantee resolution a couple of weeks ago. The Good Jobs for All campaign calls for jobs that will help stop the climate crisis; a federal jobs guarantee to help end the COVID recession; and jobs to address those suffering from climate disasters. You can get involved by clicking “Join the Rays” in today’s show notes.
Some big rulings in the Supreme Court this week. In a 5-3 ruling, the U.S. Supreme court made it more difficult for undocumented immigrants to fight deportation, even those who have lived in the U.S. for most of their lives. That opinion was written by Neil Gorsuch. And, Amy Coney Barrett, Trump’s last minute appointment following the death of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, issued her first majority opinion this week. This time in a 7-2 ruling, the Trump court was joined by Justice Elena Kagan of the so-called “liberal” justices. In this ruling, the Court rejected a Freedom of Information Act request from the Sierra Club “for documents about harm to endangered species,” according to the New York Times. Barrett argued that “the records were protected by an exemption to the act that shields documents that would disclose deliberations inside an agency before it makes a final decision.” The ruling overturned the ruling of the Ninth Circuit Court.
In some potentially discouraging climate news, John Kerry, Biden’s climate envoy, is reportedly talking to some of the largest banks and asset managers in the U.S. about contributing capital for clean energy. That’s according to CNBC. The news comes just a couple days after Kerry tapped Wall Street veteran Mark Gallogly to join the climate team. You can imagine why some climate activists are a little concerned.
Jane McAlevey takes to the pages of The Nation to warn national labor leaders not to buy into the Silicon Valley’s promise for sectoral bargaining.
Federico Klein, a Trump appointee within the Department of State, was arrested this week for taking part in the Jan 6th Insurrection. Before joining the Trump campaign in 2016, Klein worked for the Family Research Council and his mother noted that “Fred’s politics run a little hot.”
The Stock market tanked this week.
The Pennsylvania Gaming Board is the best job in Harrisburg if you can get it or are appointed to it like Frances Regan, the wife of State Senator Mike Regan. Frances Regan was appointed to the Gaming Board this week with no announcement or press release and she will be getting paid $145,000 a year to attend one or two meetings a month during her term.
Pennsylvania is number 1. Yep, moving from the second spot last week, Pennsylvania now boasts the number 1 position for the state with the most people arrested for the January 6 insurrection. And guess which PA county is number 1? No, not the deep red counties in the center of the states. It’s my very own Bucks County.
A new report by PennEnvironment Research & Policy Center finds that of 53 Pennsylvania waterways tested, “microplastic contamination was found in every spot, from Lake Erie, Pittsburgh’s Three Rivers, and the Delaware River.” The report calls for the passage of bills such as the Break Free from Plastic Pollution Act, which calls for banning single-use plastics and environmental remediation efforts.
Lock Haven faculty holding a virtual town hall on March 30 about the controversial integreaton of LHU with Mansfield and Bloom.
SpaceX finally lands its Starship! Yes, the SN 10 successfully launched from its Boca Chica launch pad just after 6:30 pm on Wednesday. Then for the first time it stuck the landing! But...a few minutes later, it blew up.
A new Star Trek movie is in the works. This time it will be led by an original script by Kalinda Vazquez, one of the main writers of the Star Trek Discovery series. She’s going to be busy as she is also working with George R.R. Martin of Game of Thrones fame on an adaptation of Roger Zelazny’s sci-fi novel, Roadmarks for HBO. Live long and prosper, Vazquez!
New analysis of satellite data by Chinese scientists confirmed for the first time the existence of “space hurricanes” - whirling storms of plasma that occur in the Earth’s upper atmosphere. But these hurricanes don’t rain water droplets, they rain electrons.
The Orbital Assembly Corporation (OAC) announced plans to begin building the first space hotel in 2025. The plan is to open the space station for guests in 2027 - but, you’ll need a net worth of about $50 million if you want to be one of the lucky 400 guests. The company claims that the spinning Voyager Station will feature Moon-like levels of artificial gravity and, according to the company, the space station will feature themed restaurants, viewing lounges, movie theaters, bars, libraries, gyms, and a health spa. And, just coincidentally, the company is now open to investors. Smell a little grift anyone?
Free Will Brewing releases: Sing Me Back Home - DDH Double IPA brewed with a base of fluffy flaked oats and wheat, hopped in the kettle with Citra, then double dry hopped with Strata, Moutere, and even more Citra. 8.7% ABV. New label art from Kolahari. Also, if you’re looking to burn a hole in your wallet and buy some serious craft beer cred? Here’s one for you: Saffron Black Lime Ralphius (2020) - $50.00. Imperial Stout Aged in Bourbon Barrels with Saffron, Black Lime, and Fleur de Sel - 17.5% ABV
If we want a progressive future, we need progressive media. Support pull-no-punches, homegrown progressive media today by becoming a patron of Raging Chicken for as little as $5/month. Simply go to Patreon.com/RCPress.
Monday Mar 01, 2021
Monday Mar 01, 2021
I welcome Sean O’Leary, Senior Researcher with the Ohio River Valley Institute. We’re going to be talking about ORVI’s new report, “Appalachia’s Natural Gas Counties: The Natural Gas Fracking Boom and Appalachia’s Lost Economic Decade.” The report examines 22 counties in Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia at the center of Appalachia’s natural gas boom. While the boom did wonders for the national GDP and fossil fuel companies bottom lines, those 22 counties did significantly worse. The promises of an economic rebirth for these economically strapped regions never came to pass.
The Ohio River Valley Institute is an independent, nonprofit research and communications center—a think tank—founded in 2020 and based in Johnstown, PA. The Institute equips the region’s residents and decision-makers with the policy research and practical tools needed to advance long-term solutions to some of Appalachia’s most significant challenges. Their work includes in-depth research, commentary, and analysis, delivered online, by email, and in-person to policy champions, emerging leaders, and a range of community partners. And, they just released another report last week, “The Failure of Fossil Fuel Subsidies in Pennsylvania.” Looks like I’ll be reaching out again for a future Out d’Coup LIVE!
O’Leary is a native of Wheeling, West Virginia and has written about coal, natural gas, and their role in the economies of Appalachia in a book, a newspaper column, and blog titled, “The State of My State”. Previously, Sean served as communications director at the NW Energy Coalition in Seattle, Washington. He is also a playwright who has won numerous awards presented by the National Endowment for The Arts, the National Arts Club, and the West Virginia Commission on the Arts among others.
A special shout out to Jonathan Mann who wrote our intro song, “There Are No People in the Future.” Check out all is great stuff on his YouTube page and follow him on Twitter @songadaymann
Friday Feb 26, 2021
Friday Feb 26, 2021
Democrats who have been luke-warm about passing a $15 minimum wage got the cover they needed yesterday as the Senate parliamentarian, Elizabeth MacDonough, advised that the $15 minimum wage cannot be included in a reconciliation package.
Those Democrats who have been pushing for the $15 minimum wage have urged that Vice President Harris overrule the parliamentarian’s ruling, which is within her authority. On Twitter, Representative Ro Khanna wrote, “I’m sorry - an unelected parliamentarian does not get to deprive 32 million Americans the raise they deserve. This is an advisory, not a ruling. VP Harris needs to disregard and rule a $15 minimum wage is in order.”
It’s time to dump the filibuster and, as David Dayen argued this morning, it’s time to put the $15 minimum wage bill on the floor.
And while the Biden administration and conservative Democrats are willing to throw up their hands and say there is nothing they can do when it comes to the minimum wage, they’re willing to roll out the tanks in support of Neera Tandem’s appointment to the Office of Management and Budget.
Release the hawks. Biden orders air strikes in Syria against two Iranian-backed militias on the border with Iraq. The administration claims to have targeted and destroyed “multiple facilities located at a border control point used by a number of Iranian-backed militant groups.” The strikes were said to be in response to recent attacks on American contractors and properties in Iraq by militants.
And the pandemic rages on. Even as cases began to drop, the U.S. passed the 500,000 COVID-19 deaths mark this week.
A new report published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences warns that the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) sea currents are slowing faster than expected and may lead “tipping point” in climate change if swift action is not taken. Scientists have warned that the slowing or stopping of the AMOC will lead to large-scale impacts affecting live on the panet.
New York City police deployed Boston Dynamics creepy and frankly dystopian robot dog to a live crime scene this week. The New York Post released footage of the robot dog to a home invasion crime scene in the Bronx. It wasn’t the first time, either. Back in October, the NYPD sent another robot dog into a building where a gunman had barricaded himself. According to the Post, the robot dog is in its test phase, equipped with lights and a camera. “This robot is able to use its artificial intelligence to navigate things, very complex environments,” according to NYPD’s Technical Assistant Response Unit’s Deepu John. Yeah, what could go wrong.
The Delaware River Basin Commission lifted their moratorium and has banned fracking in the Delaware River Watershed. This will protect the drinking water for tens of millions of residents living in New York, New Jersey, Delaware and Pennsylvania.
Pennsylvania House and Senate Republicans threw a temper tantrum this week after the Dept of State released their ballot question on a constitutional amendment limiting the Governor’s powers on emergency declaration orders. Apparently, the question was too straight forward and not confusing enough for Republicans.
Kendra Brooks, from Philly’s city council, is joining with Astra Taylor from the Debt Collective in calling bullshit on Biden’s claim that he can’t cancel $50,000 in student loan debt.
Pennsylvania Republicans failed to cancel Pat Toomey after spending hours debating his vote to convict Donald Trump.
The Mars Perseverance rover sent back amazing footage of the February 18 landing in Jezero crater. Just amazing. A couple days later we got the first full-color, 360 degrees view of what Perseverance sees. Gotta admit, I was in awe.
Researchers are making a case that NASA should begin studying nuclear propulsion systems for future missions to Mars.
Columbian County woman becomes one of NASA’s newest flight directors. Chloe Mehring grew up in Mifflinberg and started working with NASA in 2008 in the Flight Operation’s Propulsion Systems group.
Put that sixpack back in the cooler. Molson Coors Beverage Company has locked out 300 workers at its Toronto brewery after workers overwhelmingly rejected the company’s “best and final offer” during contentious contract negotiations. Molson Coors had prepared for this move by posting ads for scab workers three weeks before their lockout.
Sean has whiskey recommendations.
Free Will Releases: Sputnik 36 and Soul Supper. https://freewillbrewing.store/
Wednesday Feb 24, 2021
Wednesday Feb 24, 2021
Out d'Coup LIVE welcomes Jordan Hopkins to the show. Hopkins is a 23-year old writer, editor, and independent journalist located in Philadelphia, PA. He's been covering PA's right-wing extremists and the grift at the core of the emerging Patriot Party. We’ll be digging into his latest article, “A Party of Grifters,” and the rise of extremism in PA more broadly. You can check out all his great reporting at https://www.itsalienmuse.com and you can follow him on Twitter @jhop_phl.
A special shout out to Jonathan Mann who wrote our intro song, “There Are No People in the Future.” Check out all is great stuff on his YouTube page and follow him on Twitter @songadaymann.
For the gamers: Check out The Game Inn and follow them on Twitter @thegameinn. Got a question about a game? Looking for something hard to get? Message them on FB, drop them an email thegameinnpa@gmail.com or give them a call at (267) 424-2535. https://thegameinn.com/.
Monday Feb 22, 2021
Monday Feb 22, 2021
On tonight’s show, I welcome Omar Ray. Ray is a candidate running for Lehigh County Commissioner, District 5. He’s a community organizer from Upper Saucon Township. His platform includes Distributing COVID vaccines equitably & efficiently; Investing in affordable housing for families & seniors; supporting local schools & technical training programs; ending the cash bail system which criminalizes poverty; and, preserving farmlands & open spaces. This year's Democratic primary will be held on May 18.
Check out his full platform and learn how you can help elect another progressive Lehigh County Commissioner visit his website: https://omarforlehigh.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/omarrayforlehigh
Friday Feb 19, 2021
Friday Feb 19, 2021
Rush Limbaugh died. That is all.
Devastation in Texas as a climate change, supercharged winter storm causes loss of power and water for millions. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott doesn’t waste any time to blame green energy and frozen windmills for the crash of their power grid. That’s one way of trying to avoid accountability. Scratch the surface to expose the awful truth of the GOP death cult’s market fundamentalism and climate change denialism.
Senator Ted Cruz from Texas stepped up to show how you take charge of a disaster and solve problems. He packed up his family and flew to Cancun, while leaving the family's poodle, named “Snowflake,” inside their freezing home.
In more WTF Texas news, the Mayor of Colorado City, Texas Tim Boyd topped even Ted Cruz. When residents started posting to a community Facebook group in search of help and answers about power and water, the Mayor chimed in and said: “No one owes you or your family anything...I’m sick and tired of people looking for a damn handout.”
Meanwhile, Texas-based reporters from the Texas Tribune and the Houston Chronicle, are exposing decades of deregulation, free market fundamentalism, and climate change denialism led directly to the current deadly crisis.
Impeachment is over. And the Republicans voted to support insurrection and their Dear Leader.
Nancy’s not letting go. After the Republicans gave Trump a free pass on sedition and inciting an insurrection in the nation’s Capitol, Nancy Pelosi announces plans for a 9/11-style commission to study the January 6 attack.
In the latest move in the Divest from Police and Invest in Communities movement, the Los Angeles School Board cuts a third of its police force and reinvests in educating black students. According to the LA Times, “The unanimous decision comes after a yearlong campaign by students activists and community members to reimagine the school police force, which they maintain disproportionately targets Black and Latino children.”
Let the campaign for the PA Senate begin! Last night, Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta announced that he will be running for the Democratic Party nomination for the U.S. Senate. Right out of the gate he’s got endorsements from the Philadelphia Federation for Teachers, the American Federation of Teachers, and the Working Families Party. Earlier this month, Lt. Gov. John Fetterman announced his campaign for the same office. It will be a battle for the soul of progressivism in the Democratic Primary.
Yesterday was the deadline for Judicial Gerrymandering to make it onto the May Primary ballot, which it did not. Progressives in Pennsylvania are celebrating this victory and continuing the fight to make sure it stays off the November ballot.
Harrisburg Area Community Colleges are organizing a union. This past Saturday, faculty members held rallies on the Lancaster and Harrisburg campuses. Full-time and adjunct faculty have been working with PSEA for over a year on their campaign. HACC is the only community college in the Commonwealth without faculty union representation.
Budget hearings are underway and progressives are ramping up the pressure for a People’s Budget.
Pennsylvania Budget Summit Registration.
Tango Delta Nominal for NASA’s Perseverance rover. Perseverance safely landed on Mars yesterday at 3:55 pm. And, yes, I watched it live and celebrated with a can of Free Will’s Under Dawn’s Red Sun.
Looks like NASA’s acting chief, Steve Jurczyk, used yesterday’s focus on the Mars landing to bury the news that he broke on Wednesday that 2024 is no longer a realistic deadline to safely return to the Moon.
China is assembling its new Long March 5B heavy-lift rocket in preparation of sending the first module to what will be China’s first space station. China plans to construct the space station through 11 launches in 2021 and 2022.
Sean is basking in his recent camera gear haul.
Free Will Brewing: closed today because of the weather, but they’ll be open back up in no time. I’ll have some recommendations from their online store: https://freewillbrewing.store/
Monday Feb 15, 2021
Monday Feb 15, 2021
What a better way to deal with freezing rain and winter storms. Join us tonight for Out d'Coup LIVE. We want to hear from you. Call in on the Podbean app and let us know what's on your mind. Insurrection? Impeachment? Evictions? Gov. Wolf's budget? COVID relief bill? Union drive? Scott Perry billboards? It's all fair game. Or maybe you have suggestions for upcoming shows? We'd love to hear from you.
On tonight's show we talked about some of these articles:
- "Quelling Our National Riot," by David Dayen, The American Prospect
- "Appalachia's Natural Gas Counties: The Natural Gas Boom and Appalachia's Lost Economic Decade," a new report from the Ohio River Valley Institute
- "The Education Fix," by Cristina Viviana Groeger, Dissent
- "Democrats had a brutal 2020 in Pennsylvania besides Biden. Now they’re charting a path forward," Philadelphia Inquirer
Shout outs to the folks at Community Research Opposing Hate.
And, as always, huge thanks to Jonathan Mann for the intro/outro music. Follow him on Twitter @songadaymann.
Friday Feb 12, 2021
Friday Feb 12, 2021
It’s impeachment week. House managers presented incredibly compelling and powerful arguments that Trump incited insurrection.
Montgomery County PA’s own, Bruce Castor, told stories of his childhood and made sure everyone knew that Nebraska was a very judicial thinking place, during what was an embarrassing ramble of an opening argument.
Amazon hired anti-union consultant to try to destroy unionizing efforts in a Bessemer, Alabama fulfillment center. The consultant, Russell Brown, runs the anti-union firm RWP Labor which specializes in “maintaining a union free workplace.” Brown is also president of the Koch funded anti-union think tank, the Center for Independent Employees.
5,800 workers at the Alabama Amazon fulfillment center received mail-in ballots last Monday. If the majority of workers vote for the union, it would become the first unionized Amazon workplace in the country. The union, Retail, Wholesale, and Department Store Union, RWDSU, also represents 12,000 poultry workers in Alabama. According to a report in Wired, reports of the safety protections won by the unionized RWDSU poultry workers led workers at Amazon to reach out to the union to help with their own organizing efforts.
House Democrats and the Congressional Progressive Caucus fought to include raising the $15 minimum wage in the COVID relief package.
PA Proud! Pennsylvania ranks number two in the country when it comes to the number of residents who have been arrested from the January 6th Insurrection.
Capital Region Stands Up and Pennsylvania Stands Up placed billboards around the Pennsylvania 10th Congressional District calling on Scott Perry to resign. Click on the link and look at the amazing design.
Lt Governor John Fetterman officially announced his 2022 campaign for the United States Senate. The first week was a little rocky as archived video of Fetterman’s time as Mayor of Braddock circulated on social media.
House and Senate Democrats continue their calls for an investigation into Senator Doug Mastriano’s role in the January 6th insurrection & for his expulsion from the Pennsylvania Senate.
Pennsylvania House Republicans continue their voter fraud hearings and undermine the 2020 election. Pennsylvania Spotlight published a report this week highlighting House State Government Committee Chair Seth Grove’s role to undermine the 2020 election. Representative Grove is a board member with the American Legislative Exchange Council and he’s been working with ALEC and Koch Operatives to undermine the 2020 election since August 2019.
Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta will be the Keynote speaker at today’s Gender and Sexual Minorities Conference at Kutztown University.
28 state legislators release a call to action for a People’s Budget. While praising much of Gov. Wolf’s new budget, the group writes that “as a Commonwealth, we need to reject austerity, wasteful spending and unstable revenue streams. We are guided by the urgent need to invest in people over big corporations. We believe any budget must focus on working people across the state and sthe systems and programs that can support workers to recuperate from this devastating pandemic that has touched all corners of our state.”
Omar Ray is preparing to launch his campaign for Lehigh Valley County Commissioner on February 18 @ 7:00 pm. As a community activist and progressive, Ray hopes to be party of the Lehigh Valley’s growing list of progressive elected officials.
PASSHE Chancellor Greenstein was back in the Capitol to update legislators about plans to consolidate several universities. Lots of spin and few specifics.
F!@# Tom Brady.
Free Will Brewing had to temporary limit access after an employee tested positive for COVID. They are back up and running in time for Valentines day and everyone there has tested negative for the virus. All this weekend Tre Locally Sourced will be parked out front on the main brewery in Perkasie with an scrumptious food menu.
Want to know what to try? Here’s some new/recent releases:
Blackberry Raspberry Mash - Sour Ale with Blackberry, Raspberry, Vanilla, and Milk Sugar. 7.5% ABV; 35 - American Double IPA brewed with a variety of our favorite hops from around the globe, a plentiful amount of oats, and a touch of honey malt for color and additional sweetness 8% ABV; and, Juice Money - Sour Ale with Plum, Black Currant, Cinnamon, Cardamom, Vanilla, and Milk Sugar. Ongoing collab with Imprint Beer Company.