How bad is the Republican federal budget proposal? AFL-CIO Legislative Director Bill Samuel describes it as an “all-out assault against middle-class Americans.”

Members of the reigning Super Bowl champs have come out in strong support of the state’s public employees and in opposition to Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker’s attacks on the state’s public servants, which include threats to call out the National Guard if they strike or protest his extreme measures.

Good news from the Senate: Today, senators voted 51-47 to reject a measure that would have prohibited transportation security officers (TSOs) from gaining collective bargaining rights.

Several disturbing items out now as Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner gets set to meet next week with Chinese President Hu Jintao.

Here’s a statement from Rebekah Friend, executive director and secretary/treasurer of the Arizona AFL-CIO, about today’s tragedy in Tuscon, Ariz., in which a gunman shot Democratic Rep. Gabrielle Giffords in the head as she met outside a grocery store with constituents. The gunman, who is in custody, also allegedly shot and killed Chief Judge John Roll of the U.S. District Court for Arizona and an unidentified nine-year-old girl.

With the barrage of orchestrated extremist attacks on public employees, the Economic Policy Institute (EPI) reminds us today of a study it commissioned last year that disproves one of the biggest lies by anti-workers–that public employee make excessive pay.  In short, public employees are paid less than private-sector workers, even when factoring in employer-provided benefits.