House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) told tens of thousands of workers that if they lose their jobs because of unfair trade practices tough luck, just pull yourselves up by your Chinese-made bootstraps.

Some 400 members from dozens of Minnesota unions—backed by more than 1,000 e-mails and phone calls—helped score a victory for working families last week. They jammed a state House hearing room in opposition to a bill that called for a wage freeze for state employees, elimination of vital parts of the state’s Public Employment Labor Relations Act, a 15 percent cut in the state workforce and a so-called “Right to Work” provision. 

Ohio Gov. John Kasich (R), New Jersey Chris Christie (R) and politicians around the nation are running campaigns to demonize public employees and lay the blame for state budget problems at their feet.

First, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker (R) announced a state budget plan that  strips state workers of nearly all their collective bargaining rights, cuts pay and benefits and says there will be no negotiations.

Looks like a California tea party activist took to heart AC/DC’s song  “Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap” to take a swipe Ohio public employees. Thanks to the good folks at the progressive blog Plunderbund for publicizing the trickery.

Today’s House Ways and Means Committee hearing on Medicare was billed as an examination of how the health care reform law will impact the 45-year-old program that provides health care coverage for nearly 40 million seniors.

Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) wants to deny safety and health protections for flight attendants. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reauthorization bill would extend Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) protection to flight attendants and other air crew, something air crew workers have been seeking for decades. Paul has offered an amendment to strip the OSHA protections from the bill. (Click here for details.)

Wow. How sweet! We didn’t even know they cared. The Republican National Committee (RNC) has launched an e-Valentine’s Day card website where you can send a card, adorned with the faces of  people who certainly aren’t the RNC’s sweethearts  and carrying what passes for Republican humor messages.

Ohio Gov. John Kasich (R) and Republican legislators launched their biggest assault yet against Buckeye State public employees with a hearing yesterday on a bill to eliminate collective bargaining rights for all state workers, including faculty and staff at Ohio state colleges and universities.

This week in Washington, D.C., thousands of conservative, very conservative and downright OMG extreme conservative activists will gather for the Conservative Political Action Committee’s (CPAC) annual choir session.