Recent years have seen an assault on the rights of voters across the country, from stringent identification requirements to the throwing away of valid voter registration applications. While most states are seeing only one or two of the variety of assaults on the rights of voters, Florida, as it has in the past, is leading the way in different ways of denying legitimate citizens their right to vote.

American Federation of Musicians of the United States and Canada (AFM) Local 47 member wil.i.am is most famous for being the mastermind behind the multiplatinum record-selling hip-hop group the Black Eyed Peas. Now he's done something that no other recording artist has ever done—debuted a song from the surface of another planet.

Kermit Oliver is a member of the Postal Workers (APWU) and lives and works in Waco, Texas. He works the overnight shift sorting mail, then goes home and spends the rest of his waking hours painting. Then, he gets up and does it all again. Many people have creative hobbies when they get home from work. Oliver, though, is different. He is the only American whose works have been used to create exclusive scarves for Hermès. They sell for $410 each and sell out within hours.

Americans faced with a tough economy face significant struggles when they lose their jobs. Since the 1930s, workers who are without jobs through no fault of their own have had the safety net of the unemployment compensation program to serve as a backup plan until they get back on their feet. Under new rules implemented by Florida Gov. Rick Scott and his allies in the state legislature, it's getting harder and harder for working families who have lost their jobs to obtain the unemployment compensation that they have earned.

This is a cross-post form Crooks and Liars

Thursday, I reported that several major labor unions expressed support for Barack Obama's statement that he supports the right of all Americans to marry, regardless of their sexual orientation. More unions expressed their support for the president and marriage equality in a move that, as I pointed out yesterday, is good for Obama, for unions and for LGBT Americans.

In the wake of President Barack Obama's announced public support for marriage equality, a number of major labor unions have come out in support of the president's position and equality for the LGBT community.  This is a great development for a number of reasons.  One, it's a clear statement from unions that they recognize that LGBT families are working families, too.  Two, it gives Obama strong public support on an issue that he is certain to be attacked on.  Third, it is a good way to attract new people to the labor movement who might have otherwise not paid much attention to unions because they had other issues that were more important to them.  If it is clear that unions support LGBT families -- which it is -- there is more reason for people to move out of issue silos, recognizing that they have allies they can work together with to improve everybody's situation.