7 Days in January That America Won't Soon Forget

What a week.

Your great-grandchildren and their children will read about this week in their American history books for many years to come: 

1)  The number of COVID deaths in the U.S. top 4,000 a day for the first time. The total number of U.S. deaths is now in excess of 365,000, approaching the total number of Americans killed in all of World War II.  As he has been for the past several months, President Trump remains silent on the tragic milestone.

2)  The President of the United States, Donald J. Trump, was captured on an hour-long audio recording trying to strong-arm Georgia officials to "find 11,780 votes" and reverse the outcome of his election loss to Joe Biden in November.  It is likely he made similar attempts with officials of other states as Georgia, alone, would not have given him enough electoral votes to turn the outcome in his favor. 

3)  Two Democrats win seats in the U.S. Senate in Georgia -- one black and the other Jewish.  This outcome is unheard of in the deep south.  This follows Joe Biden's defeat of Donald Trump in the Presidential election in November -- a clean sweep for Democrats in a historically red state. 

4)  With the urging of the President of the United States and that of his personal attorney, right-wing protesters storm the Capitol Building forcing members of Congress to rapidly evacuate the House and Senate chambers and flee to safety as hundreds of Trump-loyalist rioters take over the building by force.  At least 5 people die in the ensuing conflicts with police and security forces. 

5)  Despite the above events, 147 Republican legislators refuse to recognize and vote to overturn Joe Biden's defeat of Donald Trump when the House and Senate are able to reconvene hours later. This, despite the fact that Biden won the electoral college by 74 electoral votes and the popular vote by more than 7,000,000 votes, garnering the most votes for any presidential candidate in American history. 

6)  Numerous Cabinet members and members of the White House staff resign in protest of the role the President played in inciting the Capitol Building riot. 

7)  Numerous prominent Republicans, including a number of Senate and House Republicans, publicly call for the immediate removal or resignation of the leader of their own political party -- even though less than 2 weeks remain in his Presidency. 

8)  The House of Representatives states that it is preparing an Impeachment order for the removal of President Trump as a direct result of his incitement of the rioters.  Several Republicans have threatened to sign on to the order if Trump does not resign beforehand.  If it passes, it will be the 2nd Impeachment of Trump, and the only time in history that a sitting President will have been Impeached twice. 

9)  President Donald Trump‘s ability to post on his social media accounts is severely hampered as Facebook, Instagram and others restrict his account due to his incitement of violence in his attempt to overturn the election.  Late Friday, Twitter announces that he is permanently suspended from their platform.

The Case for Bernie Sanders

People generally vote for 2 reasons:

Some people vote FOR a candidate.

Some vote AGAINST a candidate. 

Often, it's a combination of both.

BEING AGAINST DONALD TRUMP IS NOT ENOUGH TO WIN 

Come November, Democrats need a candidate who voters are resoundingly FOR.  One who excites a large segment of voters.  Better still, one who excites a segment of voters that typically don't turn out to vote in high numbers.  Barack Obama did that in 2008 and in 2012.  Hillary Clinton failed to do that in 2016.  We know that result.

The outcome of this election is going to come down to one thing:  turnout.  The biggest driver of turnout is enthusiasm.  There is no Democratic candidate in 2020 that exudes more excitement and enthusiasm than Bernie Sanders.  That is evidenced by the thousands -- even tens of thousands -- of supporters cheering him on at his events.  It's evidenced by the number of donors to his campaign.  And it's evidenced by the amount of money he has raised.  No other Democratic candidate comes close.

MOTIVATION AND ENTHUSIASM ARE KEY

The motivation to vote AGAINST Donald Trump this November is significant, probably higher than at any time in recent history.  But outside of Bernie Sanders, the FOR vote on the Democratic side is seriously lacking.  Democrats cannot win without a solid FOR vote.  If you're in doubt, look back to Hillary Clinton in 2016.

There are several demographic groups which traditionally vote in very low numbers.  They include young people, the black community and the Hispanic/Latino community.  In order to win in November, Democrats will need to motivate those groups to vote in large numbers, and they only tend to turn out in sufficient numbers if they are engaged.  Bernie engages the young in greater numbers than seen at any time in recent memory.  He does extremely well with Hispanic/Latino voters, as we saw in Nevada.  He still needs to do better at engaging the black community.  Fortunately, his very long and well documented history of standing up for desegregation and equal rights lends him credibility with that community.  How well he can motivate them between now and November remains to be seen.  But the fundamental requirements to be able to accomplish that are there.

VULNERABILITIES

Every one of the Democratic candidates has vulnerabilities.  The fears some people have that Bernie can't be elected are real, but can be overcome.  His two biggest vulnerabilities are the false impression that he is a Socialist (rather than a Democratic Socialist) and the belief that he will spend money recklessly.  Both of these can be addressed and overcome with clearer messaging in the general election against Donald Trump.  And they will need to be.

AMERICA'S VIEWS ARE IN SYNC WITH BERNIE'S BELIEFS

Americans of all political beliefs love the goals of Bernie's policies:  a $15 minimum wage;  health insurance for all; lowering prescription drug prices; affordable education;  fair and equitable taxation;  protecting our land, water and air; acting to address global warming;  fair immigration policies;  preservation of Social Security;  investing in renewable energy rather than fossil fuels;  shifting spending away from endless foreign wars and toward domestic infrastructure;  ending voter suppression;  banning the sale of assault weapons and high-capacity ammunition;  requiring background checks for gun buyers;  supporting safe abortions and a woman's right to make that choice.  Every one of these are widely held popular views and goals.

BERNIE HAS CONSISTENTLY BEEN ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF HISTORY

Bernie has been on the right side of the fight for decades:  standing up for civil rights, gay rights, women's rights and voter rights long before it was "safe" to do so.  Promoting fairness, equality, opportunity, fair wages, fair taxation, reduced military intervention and better educational opportunities for all.  Taking a stand on environmental issues and opposing the folly of the Iran War.  His passion for fairness, righteousness and justice is long-term and unwavering.

BERNIE IS AUTHENTIC

The words most commonly used to describe Bernie are: authentic; ethical; moral;  honest;  integrity;  honorable; consistent;  fair-minded;  genuine  -- these traits and perceptions are virtually unknown in the world of politics and they are the polar opposite of how people view Donald Trump and the GOP.  That's part of what makes Bernie such a strong opponent and a fundamental threat to Trump.

BERNIE IS THE ANTITHESIS OF DONALD TRUMP 

When the lies and misinformation come fast and furious in the weeks leading up to election day,  No one will be immune to the attacks.  Not Bernie.  Not Pete.  Not Bloomberg.  Not Biden.  Not Elizabeth.  The overriding factor in how the lies are perceived will depend on who voters believe.  It will be the candidate's character that will make the difference as to whether the false charges stick or not.  Bernie's reputation for honesty and his moral character, as well as his credibility, will help him survive and overcome those attacks better than most others. 

Even though Bernie's self-avowed Social Democracy scares some people, the enthusiasm he generates with traditional non-voters more than offsets that. And, while it's possible to address and overcome misinterpretations of what "Social Democracy" means, you can't manufacture enthusiasm where it doesn't actually exist.  Winning will absolutely require the participation of traditional non-voters in November to defeat Trump.  There is no other candidate who enthuses those groups the way Bernie does.

It would also be a miscalculation to dismiss the fact that there is an unexpected overlap between Bernie supporters and some Trump supporters.  Bernie will likely peel away some of Trump's support, which other candidates won't, further making Bernie one of Trump's most serious and dangerous opponents. 

The bottom line is that Americans want and need solutions to runaway healthcare costs;  exorbitant drug prices;  inhumane immigration policies; crushing student loan debt;  global warming;  gun violence;  income inequality; and more.  Not a single one of those issues is a part of the Republican agenda. Not one.  Bernie isn't a newcomer to any of those issues.  He's been fighting for those causes for decades. 

Bernie recently said “When my family cares about your family, and your family cares about my family, we all do better.”  One of his core campaign messages is "Not me. Us." 

Could there possibly be a more uniting message and a starker contrast with the current occupant of The White House?

Why the Electoral College Should Choose Mitt Romney and Joe Biden

In establishing the Electoral College, our founding fathers created a mechanism intended to achieve two goals:  

     1) to guarantee a minimal level of representation for sparsely populated states 

     2) to ensure that those chosen to serve as President of the United States would be qualified to hold that position.

If our founding fathers intended the Electoral College to be nothing more than a rubber stamp on election day vote tallies, they could have stopped with the first goal ─ making the process no more than a simple mathematical calculation.  Instead, they deliberately inserted a fail-safe protocol requiring electors to validate that every individual ascending to the Presidency have the requisite qualifications and not pose a threat to the foundations of The Republic. 

It is noteworthy that in the weeks leading up to the recent election, virtually every major American news organization across the entire political and ideological spectrum, issued warnings that Donald Trump was unfit, unqualified and a threat to our American democracy. 

Historically conservative publications stood side-by-side with liberal and moderate publications to warn, in unison, of the threat Donald Trump presented to the survival of The Republic.  If that unprecedented confluence of agreement is not enough to alert us that now is the time to invoke the Electoral College's fail-safe mechanism, then when? 

Perhaps the hardest question is not so much about if or when, but how.  My suggestion, in deference to the fact that it was a Republican candidate who won the most number of electoral votes, is that the Electoral College appoint Mitt Romney, the last qualified Republican nominee, to serve as President.  And in a gesture of unity and an acknowledgement that this is an American concern and not a partisan one, that they appoint a Democrat, Joe Biden, to serve as Vice President. 

This plan won't make everybody happy, but it will overcome a looming threat to the very foundations upon which this country was established, and it will do it in the least disruptive and most unifying way.  And, most importantly, it will ensure the preservation of The Republic as the founders intended. 

An appeal to every young person who says they won't vote in this election

POLITICS SUCKS.  So do politicians.  But even though your vote next Tuesday won't improve politics, it will actually mean something this year, because ...

POLICIES MATTER.  Policies transform our lives, for better or for worse.  And these 3 particular policies, which will impact the rest of your life, are going to be decided in next Tuesday's election:

MINIMUM WAGE INCREASE:

The Democrats want to raise the Federal minimum wage to somewhere between $12 and $15 an hour.  Right now it is at $7.25 an hour.  For a full time job, that means anywhere from an extra $190.00 to $310.00 per week.  Even in those few states which now have a minimum wage of $9 or $10 an hour, workers will take home an extra $80.00 to $240.00 a week.  That's serious money, and because virtually all of it gets spent, it boosts the economy even further, requiring more hiring to keep up with increased sales of goods and services.

By comparison, Republicans oppose the minimum wage and believe that employers should be allowed to set wages at whatever rate the market will bear. 

AFFORDABLE COLLEGE EDUCATION:

It takes a college education to land the highest-paying and most satisfying jobs.  But a college education costs almost as much as a house these days, which is why Democrats are proposing to do 2 things:

1) Make college debt-free by providing every student with the ability to get, at a minimum, free tuition at Community Colleges; and also to provide a tuition-free State College option for families who earn less than $125,000 annually.

2) allow the 25 million graduates who already have outstanding college loans to refinance them at lower rates, the same way homeowners can refinance their homes in order to save money

GLOBAL WARMING:

If you are under the age of 40, (which may explain why Republicans deny it even exists), this will be the issue of your lifetime.  What good is a higher wage and a better education if in the near future, the planet is inhospitable to human habitation?  It's not selfish to want breathable air and drinkable water.  And besides lowering our costs and reducing our impact upon the planet, renewable energy is really cool!  And it's an industry that will continue to innovate and create high-paying jobs well into the future.

While there are many other issues which will be affected by the outcome of this election, there are none that will affect your lives more than the 3 above.  If for no other reason, that's why you should vote next Tuesday.  Not because I asked, but because your future depends upon whose policies our country follows.

POLICIES MATTER.  So does your future.

Note:  Presidents can't make policy on their own.  They need the cooperation of the House of Representatives and the Senate in order make changes.  Your vote matters there, too.

Holyoke City Council Ignores Voters -- Appoints Their Own Candidate

Earlier this evening, the Holyoke City Council selected a replacement for Councilor Jennifer Chateauneuf, who resigned last month.  As you know, Councilors are exclusively elected by the voters to represent them, but tonight the City Council decided to put their own individual wishes ahead of the voters' wishes.  In fact, 8 of the Councilors entirely ignored the voters' wishes.  That should raise an alarm for every single Holyoke resident.

Mimi Panitch, who placed 9th in a field of 16 (the first 8 being elected), was the next-highest vote-getter in the recent November election and would normally have been in line for the vacated position.  3,000 Holyoke residents chose her as the first runner-up in November but, tonight, 8 of the 13 Councilors present refused to cast even one single vote for her.  Instead, they decided to play "politics" -- ultimately appointing a former colleague who wasn't even on the November ballot.  Ironically, it is some of those same Councilors who will be the first to decry the playing of politics by others. 

I (and others) had intended to make public comments at the start of the meeting, which is customary, but for some reason Council President, Kevin Jourdain, instead recommended that the Council alter their schedule and take up the vote first -- preventing public comment until after the voting had been completed.

Unable to speak as I intended until after the vote, I had to change my words to past tense, but they were just as sharply pointed as they would have been had I been allowed to speak ahead of the vote.  This is, essentially, what I said to the City Council at the conclusion of the vote:

"The Council has conducted the process of replacing Jennifer Chateauneuf as if this is a hired position.  This is NOT a hired position.  Not one of you is hired.  Every one of you has been chosen by the voters, and ONLY by the voters.

Only the voters get to decide who they want to represent them. 

How is it, then, that some of you decided to usurp that authority, in an attempt to appoint your friends or political allies to this Council?  The voters have already told you who their pick is, but some of you chose to play "politics", instead.  Voters didn't elect you so you can replace their choices, with yours.  The Council's job tonight wasn't to pick and choose ... it was to ensure that the will of the voters, in choosing their representatives, was followed.  You failed.  And you failed deliberately.

You don't get to dismiss the election results simply because they don't jibe with your own politics.  You don't have that right.

Sure, you may have established a rule that says you can ignore the voters' wishes, but you take that step at the risk of diminishing the credibility of this entire body.  Was it worth it?

There were two ways you could have gotten this right tonight:

            1) Either go by the November election results

            2) or hold a special election

Instead, you decided to play "politics". 

Shame on every one of you who acted on the belief that your vote outranks the votes of thousands of Holyoke voters."

Footnote:  the 8 Councilors who completely ignored the voters' wishes, refusing to cast even one single vote for Mimi Panitch were:  David Bartley;  Dan Bresnahan;  Howard Greaney;  Kevin Jourdain;  Todd McGee;  Joe McGiverin;  Nelson Roman;  and Linda Vacon. 

For the record it should be mentioned that Councilor Peter Tallman voted for Mimi Panitch, the next-highest vote-getter, on every one of the 13 ballots and Michael Sullivan voted for her on the first 11 ballots.  Gladys Lebron-Martinez and Rebecca Lisi voted for her on 7 ballots and Jossie Valentin on 6.

What You May Not Know About Holyoke's 5 Ballot Questions

There are 5 questions on Tuesday's ballot, 4 of which are binding. 

In one way or another, every question is about representation and accountability.  Following is how we are voting on each question, and why.

QUESTION #1:  NO

The backers of this ballot question are asking voters to reduce the number of At-Large Councilors from 8 to 6, touting a savings of $20,000 as one of their primary reasons to shrink the Council.  On the surface that may sound reasonable, but what they don't say is that $20,000 is only a savings of 50 cents per resident.  

The backers' attempt to misdirect voters into focusing on savings instead of focusing on the effect of the proposed reduction, is troubling.  There is a reason our forefathers structured the City Council the way they did.  Fewer At-Large Councilors means less ability for voters in all Wards to be able to hold the Council accountable for their actions.  To cite 2 recent examples of how changing the balance (8 At-Large vs. 7 Ward councilors) affects residents in different parts of the city, imagine what the outcome might have been in Ward 5 and Ward 7, with Walmart and a casino, if voters in those Wards didn't have the ability to hold 8 At-Large Councilors accountable for their actions?

This is a question of representation and accountability.  Not one of cost.  If backers want to reduce the size of the Council by 2, they should reduce the Ward representation by 1 seat, and the At-Large representation by 1 seat, in order to keep the balance as it was meant to be, maintaining accountability citywide. 

Preserve your ability to hold the City Council accountable for their actions.

Vote NO on Question 1.

QUESTION #2:  NO

The backers of this question want to extend the Mayor's term to 4 years, beginning in 2017.  The problem with this proposal is that citizens need to have a mechanism by which they can hold their elected representatives accountable for their actions, especially on a local level where decisions have a far greater, and more immediate, impact on our daily lives.  4 Years is too long a window to go without the checks and balances an election brings.  Responsive and accountable Mayors will be re-elected.  Bad ones won't.  As it should be.

Vote NO on Question 2.

 

QUESTION #3:  NO

The backers of this question want to extend the City Council's term to 4 years, beginning in 2017.  The problem with this proposal, as with question 2 above, is that citizens need to have a mechanism by which they can hold their elected representatives accountable for their actions, especially on a local level where decisions have a far greater, and more immediate, impact on our daily lives.  4 Years is too long a window to go without the checks and balances an election brings.  Responsive and accountable Councilors will be re-elected.  Bad ones won't.  As it should be.

Vote NO on Question 3.

 

 QUESTION #4:  YES

The backers of this question want to merge the City Treasurer position with the Tax Collector position and change the City Treasurer from an elected position, to one which is appointed by the City Council.  Our opinion is that the City Treasurer should be chosen based on his/her qualifications, experience and proven ability to do the job well -- not on his/her popularity or ability to raise campaign money.

To get the most qualified Treasurer, change it from an elected to an appointed position.

Vote YES on Question 4.

 

QUESTION #5:  NO  (non-binding)

The backers of this question want to replace the elected position of Mayor with a City Council-appointed position of City Manager.  In this case, the City Manager would be accountable only to the Councilors, not to the voters.  The major problem with this proposal is that it removes the ability of the voters to directly hold Holyoke's highest ranking official accountable for his/her actions by placing a buffer (the City Council) between the voters and the Mayor/Manager. 

Vote NO on Question 5.

 

PLEASE SHARE

 

 

A Special Message for Everyone Who Hates Alex Morse . . .

 

.  .  .  but can't stomach the idea of voting for Fran O'Connell because of his misogynistic attitude towards women.*

 

"Blank Vote"

Blank voting means to not vote for either mayoral candidate.  

In essence, "neither of the above".

 

*I get that some voters don't like Alex, but how can anyone reconcile voting for Fran O'Connell when he still thinks it's okay to belittle and sexually objectify women? 

Fran O'Connell not only made inexcusably misogynistic comments about a respected city employee (Google 'Fran O'Connell misogyny'), he then blamed and tried to discredit the woman who reported the incident.  And, to this day, he still refuses to apologize.

Given his unrepentant attitude toward women, how can he seriously be considered to lead ANY community, let alone a city of 40,000 people, half of whom are women?   

It's okay to be unhappy with Alex, but please think twice about the message it would send to every resident of Holyoke -- and to every resident in the State - to elect a man who shows complete disregard for women.  That's not moving forward.  That's moving back to the dark ages.

If you can't justify voting for Alex, please consider "blank voting" for mayor.  Let's not make Holyoke the laughingstock of the Commonwealth. 

 

 

NOTE:  before the conspiracy theorists start buzzing - NO, the Morse campaign did not put me up to this.  They are reading this at the same time you are.

Parting Shot

airplane banner reads:
         "Hey Mitt! Worried about us now? -- the 47%"

    















courtesy of MoveOn.org

To all my Jewish and non-Jewish friends -- call your Zeyde

Zeyde is Yiddish for Grandfather:

Romney Shrugged (an involuntary apology)

 

Was he lying then?

Or is he lying now?

In May, when Mitt Romney said to a roomful of his wealthiest donors that 47% of Americans saw themselves as “victims” and, as President, his job was “not to worry about those people” – was he lying to his donors then in order to get their money?


Or is he lying to us now in order to get our vote?


Why did it take Mitt Romney nearly 3 weeks after the video became public to apologize?  Was it because his poll numbers plunged precipitously as a result of his comments?  Was it because other Republicans were distancing themselves from him in order to save their own campaigns?


If Romney really felt he was wrong, why didn’t he apologize as soon as it became public instead of defending his extremely callous and disparaging comments for 3 weeks?


What does that 3-week delay say about Mitt Romney’s character?


More importantly, what does it say about what he truly believes?


Like an unscrupulous salesman, Romney seems to tell us whatever he thinks we want to hear, in order to seal the deal.


Here's what he said to his donors:

Here's what he told you and me:     

   

Which do you think is the real Mitt Romney?

 

 

Are you willing to risk America's future that you are right?

   



Employees' Jobs Threatened if they Vote for Obama, Romney Encourages It

With encouragement from Mitt Romney, a number of employers have told their employees that, if they vote for President Obama on November 6th, it will cost them dearly.  They have been informed that if they vote for Obama, they may have their hours cut back . . . lose their insurance . . . or lose their jobs.

This is not a joke.  I wish it were.

As illegal as this tactic sounds, I was shocked to learn that the Supreme Court's 2010 Citizens United ruling makes this sort of employee intimidation and coercion completely legal!

If there was any doubt in your mind that next week's election has far-reaching consequences -- well beyond who occupies the White House for the next 4 years -- this ought to put your doubt to rest.

This is all the more reason why we need to do everything we can to encourage everyone we know to vote on November 6th.

Because, if we don't -- they will.


Please share this information with your friends.  It's not just our country, but our entire Democracy that is at stake.


Here's a few quotes from the articles (links to articles follow below):

"Terry McTaggart, the president of a Michigan convenience store, liquor and home heating conglomerate, sent his employees a letter this month suggesting they vote for GOP nominee Mitt Romney and threatening to cut their hours in order to save money under President Barack Obama's health care reform law.

McTaggart joins a handful of CEOs who have urged their employees to oppose Obama, including Westgate Resorts founder David Siegel and the Koch Brothers. Corporations were banned from pressuring their employees on voting for decades, but the Supreme Court's 2010 Citizens United decision freed employers to campaign among their workers as a form of free speech.

Romney has encouraged employers to pass their views along to their employees. The National Federation of Independent Business, which almost exclusively backs GOP candidates, will host an event this week to educate bosses on how best to pressure their workers come Election Day."


http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/17/mitt-romney-employees-voting_n_1975636.html


http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/28/terry-mctaggart-forward-corporation-obamacare_n_2034907.html?ref=topbar


http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/27/us/politics/bosses-offering-timely-advice-how-to-vote.html?pagewanted=all


http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2012/10/can-your-boss-threaten-to-fire-you-if-you-dont-vote-for-romney/263709/
   
 

Romnesia Alert Issued

  

WARNING: U.S. Health Alert Issued Earlier Today

The Federal Center for Disease Control issued a warning earlier today that an outbreak of Romnesia has been identified in several states and is spreading rapidly. All Americans are advised to remain calm, but to be alert for common symptoms, which include:

Rapidly shifting statements of your positions and beliefs
Shortness of memory
Discomfort with 47% of Americans
Absence of self-awareness


Additional Romnesia symptoms may include:
believing women dwell in binders;  mistaking corporations for actual people;  confusing your dog with your luggage;  eagerness to randomly and casually make $10,000 bets;  not knowing which of your houses your key unlocks;  and believing $200,000 to $250,000 is middle-class income


At risk groups include:
women, seniors, students, the working class, immigrants, gays and lesbians, scientists and researchers, and the easily deceived

The risk to your health remains high.


This afternoon, President Obama issued an urgent statement to all Americans regarding Romnesia:  (it's pretty funny!)

The FCDC reminds you to take all necessary precautions when you vote on Tuesday, November 6th in order to prevent Romnesia from reaching epidemic proportions.



If you found this announcement helpful, you may also like:  
37 Reasons You Might Want to Vote Republican:
http://johnsvor.blogspot.com/2012/10/37-reasons-you-might-want-to-vote.html 

FDR's Post-Crash 1936 Speech Provides Surprising Parallel to 2012 Election

The parallels between the recovery in 1936 and in 2012 are unexpectedly surprising. In many ways, FDR could have been describing the circumstances of the past 4 years and the current political climate . . .



[note: the following introduction is taken from David Remnick's 10/13/12 New Yorker blog]:

In 1936, Franklin Roosevelt was faced with a vicious reelection campaign. He was vilified for the New Deal reforms. The word “boondoggle” was popularized in the U.S. the year before to describe alleged abuses of the New Deal. Opposition politicians and critics compared F.D.R. to Lenin. The Depression was still on, and unemployment, which had dropped significantly, was still high, over fourteen per cent. What Roosevelt had going for himself was a real set of policies and the capacity to speak on their behalf—a willed capacity to state things plainly, forcefully, and effectively. Never more so than on September 29, 1936, at the New York Democratic State Convention, in Syracuse.

Excerpts from FDR's speech to the New York Democratic State Convention 9/29/1936:

The task on our part is twofold: First, as simple patriotism requires, to separate the false from the real issues; and, secondly, with facts and without rancor, to clarify the real problems for the American public.

There will be—there are—many false issues. In that respect, this will be no different from other campaigns. Partisans, not willing to face realities, will drag out red herrings as they have always done—to divert attention from the trail of their own weaknesses.

This practice is as old as our democracy. Avoiding the facts—fearful of the truth—a malicious opposition charged that George Washington planned to make himself king under a British form of government; that Thomas Jefferson planned to set up a guillotine under a French Revolutionary form of government; that Andrew Jackson soaked the rich of the Eastern seaboard and planned to surrender American democracy to the dictatorship of a frontier mob. They called Abraham Lincoln a Roman Emperor; Theodore Roosevelt a Destroyer; Woodrow Wilson a self-constituted Messiah.



In the spring of 1933 we faced a crisis which was the ugly fruit of twelve years of neglect of the causes of economic and social unrest.

Most people in the United States remember today the fact that starvation was averted, that homes and farms were saved, that banks were reopened, that crop prices rose, that industry revived, and that the dangerous forces subversive of our form of government were turned aside.

A few people- a few only—unwilling to remember, seem to have forgotten those days.



Why did that crisis of 1929 to 1933 pass without disaster?

The answer is found in the record of what we did.

We met the emergency with emergency action.



Let me warn you and let me warn the Nation against the smooth evasion which says, "Of course we believe all these things; we believe in social security; we believe in work for the unemployed; we believe in saving homes. Cross our hearts and hope to die, we believe in all these things; but we do not like the way the present Administration is doing them. Just turn them over to us. We will do all of them- we will do more of them we will do them better; and, most important of all, the doing of them will not cost anybody anything."

But, my friends, these evaders are banking too heavily on the shortness of our memories. No one will forget that they had their golden opportunity—twelve long years of it.

Remember, too, that the first essential of doing a job well is to want to see the job done. Make no mistake about this: the Republican leadership today is not against the way we have done the job. The Republican leadership is against the job's being done.



You cannot promise to repeal taxes before one audience and promise to spend more of the taxpayers' money before another audience. You cannot promise tax relief for those who can afford to pay, and, at the same time, promise more of the taxpayers' money for those who are in need. You simply cannot make good on both promises at the same time.



Who is there in America who believes that we can run the risk of turning back our Government to the old leadership which brought it to the brink of 1933?

Franklin Delano Roosevelt




You can watch or read FDR's entire speech here:
http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/?pid=15142 


Here is a link to Davdi Remnick's New Yorker article which brought FDR's 1936 speech to everyone's attention:
www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/newsdesk/2012/10/roosevelts-message-to-obama.html#ixzz29LQv3i9h

Intimidating Billboards Attempt to Suppress Black Voters in Ohio, Wisconsin

Tell me once again that the Republican-sponsored Voter ID Laws in numerous states are intended only to preserve American Democracy and not to suppress minority votes (which, typically lean heavily Democratic).

Just last week, intimidating billboards began appearing in predominantly black neighborhoods in Cleveland and Cincinnati, Ohio (battleground state) and in Milwaukee, Wisconsin informing residents that "Voter Fraud is a Felony!" and is subject to "3 1/2 years imprisonment and a $10,000 fine".  The sole image is one of a judge's gavel striking a block.

As if it's not bad enough that Republican legislators and Republican operatives have altered voting regulations in many states in order to remove legitimate Democratic voters from the voter rolls, NOW they have erected billboard signs in predominantly poor, lower-education, minority neighborhoods implying that simply casting a vote can land you in jail.

This is absolutely outrageous and the only way to fight this blatant attempt at voter intimidation is for every one of us to redouble our efforts to get out the vote on November 6th.

You can read the full article here on Bill Moyers web site:
http://billmoyers.com/2012/10/11/ohio-voter-fraud-billboards-target-minorities/

In 2010, the right attempted to suppress the Latino vote by creating a front group called "Latinos for Reform" and running an ad on Spanish language TV instructing viewers that the "only way to send a clear message to Washington is to NOT vote!"  You can read about that attempt here:

http://johnsvor.blogspot.com/2010_10_19_archive.html 

4 Years Ago

Republicans have been asking lately if we are better off today than we were 4 years ago. Here's a small sampling of newspaper headlines and job layoff reports from Fall of 2008 to help jog their memory (and ours):

http://money.cnn.com/2008/12/05/news/economy/jobs_November/index.htm

Lost: 1.9 million jobs

The 2008 tally soars after payrolls shrink by 533,000 in November, the biggest one-month decline in nearly 34 years. Unemployment soars to 6.7%.

By David Goldman, CNNMoney.com staff writer

Last Updated: December 5, 2008: 5:02 PM ET

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- The economy shed 533,000 jobs in November, according to a government report Friday - bringing the year's total job losses to 1.9 million.

November had the largest monthly job loss total since December 1974.

"This is a dismal jobs report," said Keith Hall, commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics, at a congressional hearing. "There's very little in this report that's positive. This is maybe one of the worst jobs reports the Bureau of Labor Statistics (founded in 1884) has ever produced."

The number of jobs lost in the current recession, which began in December 2007, surpasses the 1.6 million jobs lost in the 2001 recession.

The job market expansion leading out of that recession was drawn out and tepid, so the jobs lost now are more at the core of the nation's economy - a scary sign.

According to the Labor Department's monthly jobs report, the unemployment rate rose to 6.7% from 6.5% in October. The rate is compiled in a separate survey from the payroll number.

Revisions

Economists surveyed by Briefing.com had forecast a loss of 325,000 jobs in the month.

Revisions to the two prior months brought more dismal news. October's job loss was revised up to 320,000 from 240,000, and September was revised up to 403,000.

The revisions brought the 3-month job loss total to 1.3 million.

November's report provided the first glimpse at employers' reaction after the peak of the credit crisis, reached in mid-October.

With credit largely unavailable and expensive, consumers scaled back their spending, dragging down manufacturing and construction businesses. Travel has also been scaled back.

As a result, job losses were spread across a wide variety of industries: manufacturing, leisure and hospitality, construction and even, in the midst of the holiday shopping season, retail.

Also seeing sharp declines were professional and business services, a category seen by some economists as a proxy for overall economic activity, and financial services, at the heart of the current crisis.


Deeper cuts likely to come

With the economy in a recession and most economic indicators signaling even more difficult times ahead, economists say job losses will likely deepen and continue through at least the first half of 2009.

Citing weak economic conditions, a slew of large-scale job-cut announcements came this week.

On Thursday alone, AT&T (T, Fortune 500), DuPont (DD, Fortune 500), Viacom (VIA), Credit Suisse (CS) and Avis (CAR, Fortune 500) announced cuts that totaled nearly 23,000 cuts, most of which will take place over the next several months.

According to a report by the outsourcing agency Challenger, Gray & Christmas, planned job cut announcements by U.S. employers soared to 181,671 last month, the second-highest total on record.

Temporary employment, including workers employed by temp agencies, fell by 100,700 jobs last month, the highest on records that go back to 1985. That could mean even more full-time payroll reductions to come, as employers often cut temporary workers before they begin cutting permanent staff.

Tig Gilliam, chief executive of placement agency Adecco, the nation's third-largest employment agency, said employers are trying to position their companies to weather the ever intensifying economic storm.

"CEOs are trying to get their businesses better positioned for the start of the year so they're not constantly chasing the slowdown" he said. "December will be another very tough month."

In another sign of weakness, a growing number of workers were unable to find jobs with the amount of hours they want to work. Those working part-time jobs - because they couldn't find full-time work, or their hours had been cut back due to slack conditions - jumped by 621,000 people to 7.3 million, the highest ever on records that date back to 1955.


Underemployment at 12.5%

The so-called under-employment rate, which counts those part-time workers, as well as those without jobs who have become discouraged and stopped looking for work, soared to 12.5% from 11.8%.

But there was hiring in some economic sectors last month. Government hiring has stayed strong throughout the downturn, adding another 7,000 jobs in November. Education and health services also grew payrolls, with a gain of 52,000 employees.

The average hourly work week fell to 33.5 hours last month. Economists expected the workweek to hold at October's level of 33.6 hours. But with a modest 7-cent gain in the average hourly salary, the average weekly paycheck rose by 52 cents to $613.05.


Obama: Time for stimulus

With 2008 already the worst year for jobs since 1982 and on pace to become the worst since 1945 - and second worst on records that date back to 1939 - support for a second stimulus package to boost the job market has grown among economists and lawmakers.

The prior stimulus package, in the spring, sent tax rebate checks to millions of tax filers. It helped the economy grow in the second quarter, but it did little to stem the tide of job loss in the country.

But the proposed stimulus package, supported by President-elect Barack Obama, would focus on aid states and municipalities as well as consumers, adding millions of infrastructure jobs for Americans.

"Our economy has already lost nearly 2 million jobs during this recession, which is why we need an Economic Recovery Plan that will save or create at least 2.5 million more jobs over two years," said Obama in a statement. "There are no quick or easy fixes to this crisis, which has been many years in the making, and it's likely to get worse before it gets better."

Experts say a two-part stimulus package is the right way to stem the tide of mounting job losses.

"First, you have to get consumers to spend, since 70% of the GDP is tied to consumer spending, and then you need job stimulus like highway projects to maintain economic job growth," said Gilliam. "This number is so bad that Obama will have to do something drastic soon."

In the meantime, Bush administration officials say the priority remains restoring liquidity to the financial system.

"We have to get the job done that we can while we have time left in office, and that is restoring credit," Secretary of Commerce Carlos Gutierrez told CNNMoney.com. "This is the key first step to restoring growth and restoring jobs."

The White House echoed the Commerce secretary.

"We need to focus on the causes of the economic downturn in order to reverse this trend in job creation, said Dana Perino, White House press secretary. "We intend to continue our aggressive efforts to restore health to our credit and housing markets."

First Published: December 5, 2008: 8:37 AM ET


U.S. Job Losses 2008-2009:

Job Layoffs for January 2009:

http://www.forbes.com/2009/01/09/january-layoffs-fires-lead-cx_kk_0109january09layoffs.html

Pink Slips

January 2009 Layoffs

Compiled by Klaus Kneale, 02.06.09, 02:00 PM EST

January layoffs have exceeded 160,000 at America's largest companies.

Layoffs for January 2009 at America's 500 largest public companies*:

163,662

Jan. 30: Sears Holdings (nasdaq: SHLD - news - people ) dismisses 300 corporate employees as consumer spending slumps.



Jan. 29: Broadcom (nasdaq: BRCM - news - people ) cuts about 3% of workforce (200 workers) and tightens discretionary spending.

Jan. 29: International Game Technology (nyse: IGT - news - people ) cuts 200 from its manufacturing sector.





Jan. 30: Caterpillar (nyse: CAT - news - people ) increases previous layoffs from 20,000 to 22,110, and share price hits 52-week low.



Jan. 29: Eastman Kodak (nyse: EK - news - people ) took a $137 million Q4 loss and will cut up to 4,500 jobs, up to 18% of workforce.



Jan. 29: Textron (nyse: TXT - news - people ) subsidiary Cessna Aircraft will increase layoffs from 2,600 to 4,600, to be completed by April.



Jan. 29: Ford's (nyse: F - news - people ) credit subsidiary cuts 1,200 jobs, about 20% of its workforce.



Jan. 29: Black & Decker (nyse: BDK - news - people ) will eliminate 1,200 jobs as power tool sales decline and Q4 earnings plunge.



Jan. 29: ESPN, part of the Walt Disney Co. (nyse: DIS - news - people ), (nyse: DIS - news - people ) will cut 200 jobs and Disney-ABC Television Group will release 400 to cope with weak economy.



Jan. 28: Boeing (nyse: BA - news - people ) increases previously announced layoffs--bringing total to 10,000 workers, or 6% of the company’s workforce.



Jan. 28: Starbucks (nasdaq: SBUX - news - people ) organizes closings at 900 stores worldwide and fires 6,700 in the process.



Jan. 28: Target (nyse: TGT - news - people ) cuts 400 open positions and 600 employees on sagging sales.





Jan. 27: Time Warner's (nyse: TWX - news - people ) AOL reduces workforce by 10% (700 workers) as it fights declining ad revenue.



Jan. 27: Cabinet company Merillat--a subsidiary of Masco (nyse: MAS - news - people )--cuts 20% of workforce (70 workers).



Jan. 26: Texas Instruments (nyse: TXN - news - people ) pink-slips 3,400 (12% of workforce).



Jan. 26: IBM (nyse: IBM - news - people ) selects 2,800 to participate in its “current resource reduction action.”



Jan. 26: Lincoln National (nyse: LNC - news - people ) posts five quarterly declines in profit; cuts 540 (5% of workforce).



Jan. 26: Caterpillar (nyse: CAT - news - people ) announces quarterly profit plunge of 32%; fires 20,000.



Jan. 26: Following the acquisition of the small drug outfit Wyeth for $68 billion, Pfizer (nyse: PFE - news - people ) closes five factories and cuts 15% of total workforce (19,000 workers).



Jan. 26: Sprint Nextel (nyse: S - news - people ) pink-slips 8,000 workers--recording more than $300 million in severance charges but saving $1.2 billion a year in labor costs.



Jan. 26: Home Depot (nyse: HD - news - people ) closes high-end home design shops and slims ranks at headquarters; dismisses 7,000.



Jan. 26: General Motors (nyse: GM - news - people ) cuts production at several plants and fires 2,000 in Michigan and Ohio.



Jan. 23: Brazil-based Deere & Company (nyse: DE - news - people ) subsidiary lays off 502 employees.



Jan. 23: Abercrombie & Fitch (nyse: ANF - news - people ) cuts 50 from headquarters as company leans expenses.



Jan. 23: Harley-Davidson (nyse: HOG - news - people ) sees 60% drop in profits in fourth quarter of 2008; fires 1,100 (10% of workforce).



Jan. 22: Microsoft (nasdaq: MSFT - news - people ) has first mass layoff in 34-year history; pink slips 5,000.



Jan. 22: Huntsman (nyse: HUN - news - people ) reduces workforce by 9%; cutting 1,175 regular workers and 490 full-time contractors.



Jan. 21: Burlington Santa Fe cuts 2,500 workers (5% of workforce) despite a 19% jump in earnings during the fourth quarter.



Jan. 21: UAL (nasdaq: UAUA - news - people ) fires 1,000 to cut overhead costs.



Jan. 21: SPX (nyse: SPW - news - people ) attempts to sell a business unit and cuts 400 employees to help endure the downturn.



Jan. 21: Intel (nasdaq: INTC - news - people ) closes five manufacturing plants and pink slips 5,000.



Jan. 21: Walt Disney (nyse: DIS - news - people ) offers voluntary buyouts to 600 theme park executives on poor attendance.



Jan. 21: Wynn Resorts wraps up construction on Las Vegas Strip casino with 53-worker layoff in design and construction affiliate.



Jan. 21: Eaton (nyse: ETN - news - people ) brings total workforce reduction since the beginning of last year to 10% with 5,200-worker cut.



Jan. 21: Warner Bros. Entertainment--a part of Time Warner (nyse: TWX - news - people )--cuts 10% (800) of its jobs.



Jan. 20: Clear Channel Communications (nyse: CCU - news - people ) reduces workforce across the entire company by 9% accounting for 1,850 job losses.



Jan. 20: Deere & Co. (nyse: DE - news - people ) dismisses 120 at Iowa plant.



Jan. 16: ConocoPhillips (nyse: COP - news - people ) trims capital spending by 18%, writes off $34 billion and reduces workforce by 4% (1,300 jobs).



Jan. 16: Hertz Global Holdings (nyse: HTZ - news - people ) sets out for worldwide restructuring in first quarter of 2009; cuts 4,000 jobs.



Jan. 16: WellPoint (nyse: WLP - news - people ) reduces workforce by 600 and removes 900 open positions.



Jan. 16: Advanced Micro Devices (nyse: AMD - news - people ) reduces global workforce by 9% (1,100 jobs).





Jan. 15: Xerox (nyse: XRX - news - people ) cuts 275 jobs in New York region.



Jan. 15: MeadWestvaco (nyse: MWV - news - people ) fires 2,000 and plans closings or restructurings at up to 14 plants.



Jan. 15: Autodesk (nasdaq: ADSK - news - people ) expects loss from 2008 fourth quarter; pink-slips 750 (10% of workforce).



Jan. 15: Marshall & Ilsley (nyse: MI - news - people ) cuts 8% of staff (830) in ongoing cost-cutting.



Jan. 15: General Electric (nyse: GE - news - people )'s (nyse: GE - news - people ) jet-engine group cuts 1,000 white-collar jobs.



Jan. 14: Ecolab (nyse: ECL - news - people ) restructures and reduces workforce by 4% (1,000 jobs).





Jan. 14: Delta Air Lines (nyse: DAL - news - people ) gives 2,000 early retirements as part of 8% capacity reduction.



Jan. 14: Motorola (nyse: MOT - news - people ) lays off 4,000 following a 3,000-worker layoff last year; expects savings of $700 million a year.



Jan. 14: Google (nasdaq: GOOG - news - people ) fires 100 hirers as it cuts back on contract workers and temporary employees.



Jan. 13: Cummins (nyse: CMI - news - people ) freezes salaries for the rest of the year and lets 800 go.



Jan. 13: Pfizer (nyse: PFE - news - people ) cuts 800 researchers as it lowers cost in the face of poor performance and coming patent losses.



Jan. 12: Mosaic (nyse: MOS - news - people ) fires 1,000 in Saskatchewan.



Jan. 12: Aircraft maker and Textron (nyse: TXT - news - people ) subsidiary Cessna sends 2,000 packing.



Jan. 12: Best Buy (nyse: BBY - news - people ) clears 12.5% of its headquarters staff with 500-employee layoff.



Jan. 12: Precision Castparts (nyse: PCP - news - people ) dismisses 40 as airline industry continues to struggle.



Jan. 9: Oracle (nasdaq: ORCL - news - people ) reportedly cuts 500 from U.S. sales and consulting businesses.



Jan. 9: Boeing (nyse: BA - news - people ) cuts 4,500 and returns workforce size to what it was in early 2008.



Jan. 9: Freeport-McMoRan (nyse: FCX - news - people ) slices workforce in half at Arizona mine; 1,550 workers let go.



Jan. 9: Smitfield Foods' (nyse: SFD - news - people ) Butterball--the nation's largest turkey company--fires 75 at Missouri plant.



Jan. 8: Union Pacific (nyse: UNP - news - people ) pink-slips 230 as company struggles; stock down 22% year-to-date.



Jan. 8: Navy shipbuilder Bath Iron Works--owned by General Dynamics (nyse: GD - news - people )--dismisses 179.



Jan. 8: Continuing companywide job cuts at Eaton (nyse: ETN - news - people ) hit Iowa, with 78 laid off.



Jan. 8: Walgreen (nyse: WAG - news - people ) cuts 1,000--roughly 9%--from corporate and field manager ranks.



Jan. 7: EMC (nyse: EMC - news - people ) fires 2,400 as it reduces 2009 expenses by $350 million.



Jan. 6: Alcoa (nyse: AA - news - people ) starts global salary and hiring freeze, plans sale of four non-core businesses and cuts workforce by 13% (13,500 jobs).



Jan. 6: Aqua Glass--a subsidiary owned by Masco (nyse: MAS - news - people )--pink-slips 30 employees.



Jan. 5: Cigna (nyse: CI - news - people ) reduces workforce by 4% (1,100 jobs).



Jan. 5: United States Steel (nyse: X - news - people ) cuts 50 jobs as it closes production lines in Texas.





*Total announced layoffs at America's 500 largest public companies as measured by a composite ranking of sales, profits, assets and market value during November 2008. Includes layoffs at subsidiaries, joint ventures and majority-owned companies.







Job Layoffs for December 2008:

http://www.forbes.com/2008/12/04/december-layoffs-fires-lead-cx_kk_1204december08layoffs.html

Pink Slips

December 2008 Layoffs

Compiled by Klaus Kneale, 01.05.09, 01:45 PM EST

December layoffs have exceeded 100,000 at America's largest companies.

Layoffs for December 2008 at America's 500 largest public companies*:

108,123



Dec. 31: Mohawk Industries (nyse: MHK - news - people ) closes spun yarn operation; 160 fired.

Dec. 31: Tyson Foods (nyse: TSN - news - people ) lays off 75 while converting North Carolina plant; drops 45 at Virginia plant.



Dec. 31: Target (nyse: TGT - news - people ) lays off 132 while converting Arizona store into a Super Target.



Dec. 30: Allegheny Technologies (nyse: ATI - news - people ) pink-slips 323 as stainless steel orders decline.



Dec. 30: Motorola (nyse: MOT - news - people ) increases October-announced layoffs by 400.



Dec. 29: Advanced Micro (nyse: AMD - news - people ) increases previously announced layoff by 100.

Dec. 23: Boeing (nyse: BA - news - people ) and Lockheed Martin (nyse: LMT - news - people ) joint venture ULA reduces previously announced layoff from 350 to 172.



Dec. 23: Johnson Controls (nyse: JCI - news - people ) expects loss in final quarter of 2008. Fires 125.



Dec. 23: Las Vegas Sands (nyse: LVS - news - people ) drops 500 more in Macau.



Dec. 22: Parker-Hannifin (nyse: PH - news - people ) fires 405 in varied locations as part of overall cost cutting.



Dec. 22: Eaton (nyse: ETN - news - people ) pink-slips 331 at factories across the U.S.



Dec. 19: Genworth Financial (nyse: GNW - news - people ) cuts global workforce by 14% (1,000).



Dec. 19: Electronic Arts (nasdaq: ERTS - news - people ) increases previously announced workforce cut from 6% to 10%. Total becomes 1,000.



Dec. 19: Sovereign Bancorp (nyse: SOV - news - people ) fires 1,000 while lowering costs.



Dec. 18: Omnicom Group (nyse: OMC - news - people ) slims itself with 3,000-worker layoff.



Dec. 18: Caterpillar (nyse: CAT - news - people ) pink-slips 814 workers in response to poor demand.



Dec. 17: Discontinuing supply chain operations in parts of South America, Ryder System (nyse: R - news - people ) fires 3,100.



Dec. 17: Western Digital (nyse: WDC - news - people ) cuts 5% of workforce (2,500) and slows production in response to decline in orders.



Dec. 17: Aetna (nyse: AET - news - people ) cuts costs for the new year. Drops 1,000 (3% of workforce).



Dec. 17: Bristol-Myers Squibb (nyse: BMY - news - people ) slices 10% of staff (3,700) following a 10% cut in back in July.



Dec. 16: CBS Corp (nyse: CBS - news - people ) fires 30 focusing on in-house network programming.





Dec. 15: Merrill Lynch (nyse: MER - news - people ) dismisses 400 amateur brokers-in-training.



Dec. 15: Charles Schwab (nasdaq: SCHW - news - people ) expects to pay out $20 million in severance as it cuts 100 jobs.



Dec. 13: Union Tank Car Company--majority owned by Berkshire Hathaway (nyse: BRK.A - news - people )--reduces production from 60 rail cars a week to 50. Lays off 130.



Dec. 12: Masco (nyse: MAS - news - people ) subsidiary KraftMaid Cabinetry pink-slips 500.



Dec. 12: International Paper (nyse: IP - news - people ) fires 1,500 as it continues cost-cutting.



Dec. 12: Las Vegas Sands (nyse: LVS - news - people ) pink-slips 216 staff in Las Vegas area.



Dec. 11: Bank of America (nyse: BAC - news - people ) plans 35,000 layoffs over three years; trying to survive recession and successfully absorb Merrill Lynch.



Dec. 11: Whirlpool (nyse: WHR - news - people ) cuts 150 positions at refrigeration plant.





Dec. 10: Dal-Tile--owned by Mohawk Industries (nyse: MHK - news - people )--cuts 105 from Gettysburg, Pa., branch.



Dec. 10: In line with plans to close a Clairol plant, Procter & Gamble (nyse: PG - news - people ) severs 320 jobs.



Dec. 9: Praxair (nyse: PX - news - people ) cuts costs. Closes extraneous product lines and fires 1,600.



Dec. 8: Anheuser-Busch (nyse: BUD - news - people ) cuts U.S. workforce by 6% (1,400), freezes hiring on 250 open positions and eliminates 415 contractor jobs.



Dec. 8: 3M (nyse: MMM - news - people ) lowers 2008 outlook; fires 2,300.



Dec. 8: Wyndham Worldwide (nyse: WYN - news - people ) pink-slips 4,000 while trimming timeshare business.



Dec. 8: Dow Chemical (nyse: DOW - news - people ) closes 20 plants, sells several businesses, cuts workforce by 11% (5,000 jobs).



Dec. 5: Legg Mason (nyse: LM - news - people ) lays off 200 (8% of staff).



Dec. 5: Newsday--owned by Cablevision (nyse: CVC - news - people )--raises newsstand price and fires 100.



Dec. 5: Staples (nasdaq: SPLS - news - people ) pink-slips half home office as part of 140-person layoff.



Dec. 5: General Motors (nyse: GM - news - people ) still suffering. Dismisses 2,000 more.



Dec. 4: Steel Dynamics (nasdaq: STLD - news - people ) lets 65 go in response to poor steel demand.



Dec. 5: Engine-maker Cummins (nyse: CMI - news - people ) cuts 500 white-collar jobs globally despite 25% net income growth last quarter.



Dec. 4: Telephone and broadband outfit Windstream (nyse: WIN - news - people ) fires 170.



Dec. 4: General Electric (nyse: GE - news - people )'s (nyse: GE - news - people ) NBC Universal pink-slips 500 (3% of workforce).



Dec. 4: DuPont (nyse: DD - news - people ) cuts 2,500 jobs in poor home-building, auto sectors.



Dec. 4: AT&T (nyse: T - news - people ) cuts capital spending and 4% of workforce; 12,000 fired.



Dec. 3: Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold (nyse: FCX - news - people ) lays off 600 from New Mexico mine.



Dec. 3: Jet engine maker Pratt & Whitney--owned by United Technologies (nyse: UTX - news - people )--lays off 350.



Dec. 3: Struggling media company Gannett (nyse: GCI - news - people ) cuts about 2,000 jobs throughout its publishing arm.



Dec. 3: Adobe Systems (nasdaq: ADBE - news - people ) warns of rough fourth quarter and 600-worker layoff.



Dec. 3: Jefferies Group (nyse: JEF - news - people ) pink-slips 300 (13% of workforce).



Dec. 3: Attempting to steel itself against the economy, Viacom (nyse: VIA - news - people ) freezes some salaries and dismisses 850 workers.



Dec. 2: Continuing difficulty in the steel market forces United States Steel (nyse: X - news - people ) to idle three facilities. Fires 3,500.



Dec. 1: JPMorgan Chase (nyse: JPM - news - people ) reduces workforce of recently acquired bank Washington Mutual (nyse: WM - news - people ); 9,200 workers (21% of WaMu staff) let go.



Dec. 1: PepsiCo (nyse: PEP - news - people ) pink-slips 87 workers at an Oklahoma Gatorade plant.







Job Layoffs for November 2008:

http://www.forbes.com/2008/11/18/november-layoffs-fires-lead-cx_kk_1118november08layoffs.html

Pink Slips

November 2008 Layoffs

Compiled by Klaus Kneale, 12.02.08, 01:15 PM EST



More than 90,000 people lost their jobs at America's largest public companies in November 2008.

Layoffs for November 2008 at America's 500 largest public companies*:

91,250

Nov. 25: Dana Holding (nyse: DAN - news - people ) cuts 50 jobs at Missouri factory. Plant makes axels for Ford Motor (nyse: F - news - people ), General Motors (nyse: GM - news - people ) and Nissan (nasdaq: NSANY - news - people ).



Nov. 24: BlackRock (nyse: BLK - news - people ) fires 10 of its investing staff.



Nov. 21: Manufactured home builder Clayton Homes, a subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway (nyse: BRK - news - people ), dismisses 90 from corporate headquarters in Tennessee.



Nov. 21: International Paper (nyse: IP - news - people ) closes Louisiana Mill indefinitely due to poor pulp demand. Fires 550.



Nov. 21: Western Union (nyse: WU - news - people ) cuts 200 jobs globally. Blames “challenging economic environment.”



Nov. 20: Bank of New York Mellon (nyse: BK - news - people ) reduces workforce by 4% (1,800 employees).

Nov. 20: Whirlpool (nyse: WHR - news - people ) sacks 100 from Indiana-based plant. Cites poor refrigerator demand.



Nov. 19: GM Thailand closes 130,000-unit-per-year factory for two months. Fires 258 from another.



Nov. 19: Boeing (nyse: BA - news - people ) pink-slips 800 workers at defense facility in Kansas.



Nov. 19: Carpeting company Shaw Industries, owned by Berkshire Hathaway, fires 125 from Georgia-based plant.



Nov. 18: Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold (nyse: FCX - news - people ) cuts 600 U.S. mining jobs. Blames sliding metal prices.



Nov. 17: Citigroup (nyse: C - news - people ) raises the interest rates on its credit cards and cuts 52,000 jobs.



Nov. 14: Boeing and Lockheed Martin (nyse: LMT - news - people ) joint venture ULA announces 350-worker layoff (later reduced to 172).

Nov. 14: Computer network builder Sun Microsystems (nasdaq: JAVA - news - people ) hopes to save $800 million a year with a 6,000-person reduction in workforce.



Nov. 13: United States Steel (nyse: X - news - people ) pink-slips 675 workers (2% of its staff). Stock down 80% from July to November.



Nov. 12: Hoping to save $400 million a year, Applied Materials (nasdaq: AMAT - news - people ) cuts 1,800 jobs (12% of workforce).



Nov. 12: Las Vegas Sands (nyse: LVS - news - people ) is putting several billion-dollar Macau-based projects on hold. As many as 11,000 workers will be laid off.



Nov. 12: Morgan Stanley (nyse: MS - news - people ) announces 2,000 job cuts. This includes a 10% cut in the company's institutional securities group and a 9% cut in its asset-management group.



Nov. 12: Liberty Media (nasdaq: LCAPA - news - people ) (nasdaq: LCAPA - news - people ) home shopping channel QVC announces a 910-worker layoff.



Nov. 12: Cessna Aircraft, a subsidiary of conglomerate Textron (nyse: TXT - news - people ), fires 665.



Nov. 11: AK Steel Holding (nyse: AKS - news - people ) suffers from decline in steel demand. 800 workers lose jobs as two factories go idle.



Nov. 10: General Motors (nyse: GM - news - people ) lays off 1,900 employees from its powertrain and stamping division. An additional 3,600 assembly employees were already getting pink-slipped.



Nov. 7: Ford Motor (nyse: F - news - people ) cuts 2,600 hourly employees in the U.S.



Nov. 6: Advanced Micro (nyse: AMD - news - people ) lays off 500.





Nov. 6: Toy producer Mattel (nyse: MAT - news - people ) announces 1,000 job cuts globally in preparation for a tough holiday season.



Nov. 6: Five-year-old Atlantic City establishment the Borgata Hotel Casino and Spa--a joint venture between Boyd Gaming (nyse: BYD - news - people ) and MGM Mirage (nyse: MGM - news - people ) --sacks 400 employees.



Nov. 6: Advertising agency BBDO Worldwide, part of Omnicom Group (nyse: OMC - news - people ), is firing 145 from its Troy, Mich., office.



Nov. 4: Hartford Financial (nyse: HIG - news - people ) is dropping 2% of its staff (500). Blames--what else?--sagging investments.



Go Back to the Forbes.com Layoff Tracker



*Total announced layoffs at America’s 500 largest public companies as measured by a composite ranking of sales, profits, assets and market value since Nov. 1 2008. Includes layoffs at subsidiaries, joint ventures, and majority owned companies.







U.S. Job Losses 2008-2009: