Wal Mart and the Paupers

Today the Nation Labor Relations Board sided with workers against Wal Mart employees trying to take a stand against Wal Mart's anti-labor practices. 

In its statement, the NLRB explained: “During two national television news broadcasts and in statements to employees at Walmart stores in California and Texas, Walmart unlawfully threatened employees with reprisal if they engaged in strikes and protests on November 22, 2012.” It also ruled that “Walmart stores in California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, North Carolina, Ohio, Texas and Washington unlawfully threatened, disciplined, and/or terminated employees for having engaged in legally protected strikes and protests.”
http://www.thenation.com/article/177254/labor-board-sides-workers-walmart-cant-silence-employees-any-longer

This is a major victory for everyone. Wal Mart workers are pushed onto Medicaid and Food Stamps because if the chains abysmal wages. Taxpayers are literally footing the bill for Wal Mart's low prices.

If we want a market based economy, it's time we actually stood up and held the free marketeers accountable for their actions. 

Otherwise, allow the government to subsidize private employees. Of course, that would require that we stop slashing spending to SNAP and TANF benefits. 

Pro-Life Nihilism

Let's talk about the new Kansas abortion law for a minute:

"Advocates said it mainly codifies existing practices, while helping women make more informed choices."*

Oh, okay. That doesn't sound so bad...

"The bill bars school districts from letting abortion providers such as Planned Parenthood offer, sponsor or furnish course materials or instruction on human sexuality or on sexually transmitted diseases."*

Oh. We're only concerned about women learning about sex AFTER they're pregnant. Fantastic.

This is why the existing "pro-life" movement is wrong. It's not just ideologically twisted, it's completely nihilistic. Providing comprehensive sex ed is critical to women (and men) making "informed decisions" about sex and ultimately about having a family.

Whether they'd want to admit or not, the advocates of this bill are doing nothing but punishing women for having sex. If they wanted people to make "informed decisions," they'd stop making Planned Parenthood** into a villain and stop creating impediments to real sex education.

* http://mobile.reuters.com/article/idUSBRE93501220130406?irpc=932

** This is another discussion, but Planned Parenthood primarily provides normal preventative health services to women who cannot otherwise afford it. Really, just another nail in the coffin.

Fun With Guns

First, let me say that gun control is a dead topic.

Democrats aren't touching and only the most dedicated progressives are making any noise about it. Well, and dedicate gun nuts.

Personally, I think that gun control is an important part of crime reduction. But, not nearly as important as educational and economic improvements. For everyone.

But the reactionary and downright delusional overreach on gun rights is absurd.

But, seriously, what are people thinking? Allowing guns in bars. "Stand your ground" laws that make it nearly impossible to prosecute shooters. Allowing guns in schools. Absurd.

This article from Mother Jones discusses looser restrictions, here. http://m.motherjones.com/politics/2012/09/map-gun-laws-2009-2012

Common sense just tells you that no one needs to be drinking in public with a concealed weapon. People with a history of violent crime should be screened out of gun ownership. Most felons lose their right to vote. Why not the right to bear arms?

There have been absolutely zero attempts to expand gun control over the last decade. What, exactly, are these laws reacting to?

Your Moral Exemption is my Objection

So, how do these "moral exemption" laws work?

So, if my employer has a "moral objection" to birth control, they don't have to cover it with their benefits package, right?

Say I work for a Jehovah's Witness. Can they refuse to cover blood transfusions? How about Christian Scientists? We can just refuse all medical procedures on "moral grounds."

Moreover, isn't this tantamount to telling employees what they can and can't buy with their compensation? Health insurance IS part of any competitive compensation package, after all.

If my employer objects to alcohol, should I take up a paper route to pay for beer?

I'm confused. This all seems very arbitrary to me.