How Do You Feel about 97,000 Pound Trucks?

One of our brothers in the feeder department passed this one along to me yesterday. Since it concerns the overall safety of everyone on the road, I thought I’d pass it along to everyone who’s reading this.

The problem is that the government is trying a program that will increase the weight limits of trucks on the road from 80,000 to 97,000 pounds.

Why is this a problem? Because:

“These trucks will have increased stopping distances, are more difficult to control, and will ensure faster deterioration of our nation’s roads and bridges. Some bridges are already in danger of collapsing. Our nation cannot witness a repeat of last summer when the I-35 bridge in Minneapolis disintegrated.”

If you want to add your voice to those telling Congress not to allow this hazardous policy, click here.

Wackenhut: Wacky Name, but They’re Even Worse on Labor Relations

Our brothers over in the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) are waging an organizing campaign at Wackenhut Security, the firm that furnishes security services at National Parks and monuments like the Liberty Bell.

Incidentally, the Liberty Bell is where two Philadelphia area congressmen, Chaka Fattah and Patrick Murphy (my congressman), rallied with Wackenhut workers and SEIU organizers to launch the Wackenhut Workers Organizing Committee.

Read the story from the Philadelphia Daily News here.

Learn more about what’s going on with the organizing effort at the SEIU’s Eye on Wackenhut website.

Starting Early, Starting Right for the Children

I got this email from Senator Bob Casey, about a new piece of legislation he’s introduced:

During the 2006 campaign, I wrote you often about children’s issues. I pledged that once in the Senate I would make this a primary focus and that together we would fight for the health care, education, and child care that working families need to ensure that their kids can succeed.

So far, we are fighting to expand the Children’s Health Insurance Program and we’ve introduced legislation to provide high-quality pre-kindergarten education (Senate Bill 1374). Today, we began the fight to ensure that working families have the child care they so desperately need.

Just hours ago, I introduced the Starting Early, Starting Right Act. This legislation addresses an enormous unmet need by increasing funding for child care, with the dual goals of helping more families afford care and improving the quality of early care.

This legislation has already received the endorsement of community leaders and advocacy groups. But it will not succeed without the support of people like you. So today I ask you to help raise the volume and show that our citizens are demanding change.

Add your name as a “citizen co-sponsor” to the Starting Early, Starting Right Act.

Child care develops America’s potential and helps both families and communities prosper. Children in high quality child care programs learn and develop skills they need to succeed in school and in life. Child care helps families get ahead by giving parents the support they need to be productive at work. And child care helps our nation stay competitive with a stronger work force now and in the future.

Working families and children do not have highly paid lobbyists ensuring their needs are met and their interests are represented. But, what they do have is people like you and me who are ready to fight and make sure that Congress does the right thing.

So again, please stand up today, make your voice heard, and add your name as a citizen co-sponsor.

Sincerely,

Bob Casey

Click here to add your name as a “citizen co-sponsor” to the Starting Early, Starting Right Act.