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Wisconsin Protests: Tens Of Thousands Turn Out In Madison Against Anti-Union Proposal
Protests in Wisconsin continue to surge Friday, even as reports from Thursday evening claimed as many as 25,000 demonstrators had taken to the state's capitol building in Madison. Residents are turning out in droves to oppose a bill they view as an anti-union effort that would infringe on the rights of state workers, proposed by Republican Gov. Scott Walker.
As dissenters streamed into the halls of the capitol building Thursday, Democratic state senators fled the state in a move to block a vote on the measure. They ended up at a hotel in Northern Illinois, where they remain, at least for the time being. The state's Assembly has planned a vote for Friday.
While many, including President Obama, have characterized the bill as an "assault on unions," Gov. Walker maintained Friday that his legislation, which would strip state employees of their collective bargaining rights and force them to pay a larger share of the cost of health care and pensions, was a "modest proposal."
In an interview Thursday night, Walker told Fox News that the protests were serving as a cohesive force for Republican lawmakers in Wisconsin.
"If anything, I think it's made the Republicans in the Assembly and the Senate stronger," he said. "They're not going to be bullied. They're not going to be intimidated."
Walker has the support of some in GOP leadership, such as Speaker of the House John Boehner, who on Thursday released a statement commending the governor for "daring to speak the truth about the dire fiscal challenges Americans face at all levels of government." Some national Democrats have taken the side of the protesters, however, as the DNC has ramped up their pro-union organizing in Wisconsin and other states.
Facebook Adds 'Civil Union,' 'Domestic Partnership' To Relationship Status Options
Facebook has added two new relationship status options users can include in their online profiles: "in a civil union" and "in a domestic partnership."
The new fields are being rolled out in the U.S. and several other countries, including Canada, France, the U.K., and Australia, starting today.
"This has been a highly requested feature from users," said Facebook's Andrew Noyes, manager of public policy communications. "We want to provide options for people to genuinely and authentically reflect their relationships on Facebook."
Among other information included on their Facebook profiles, such as their alma mater and favorite books, users also have the option to characterize their relationships. Previously, the set of options included: single, in a relationship, married, engaged, it's complicated, in an open relationship, widowed, separated, and divorced.
The changes were made in consultation with Facebook's Network of Support, a group that includes LGBT [lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender] organizations such as the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, the Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network, and the Human Rights Campaign.
"As LGBT people face a patchwork of relationship recognition laws, this gives people more tools to adequately describe their relationship," said Michael Cole-Schwartz, spokesperson for the Human Rights Campaign. "Facebook has been a company that has tried to be inclusive of the LGBT community and this just one sign of it."
Richard Socarides, president of Equality Matters and former gay rights advisor to president Bill Clinton, echoed Cole-Schwartz's praise.
Patriot Act renewals fail to pass! - Global Illumination Council
Reporting from Washington —
The Republican-led House failed to pass an extension of expiring sections of the Patriot Act on Tuesday, an unexpected setback for GOP leaders that shows the difficulty they face in controlling their majority and its "tea party"-inspired members.Time is short: Key provisions of the terrorist surveillance law expire at the end of the month. A coalition of veteran conservative Republicans and new GOP lawmakers joined many Democrats in blocking passage of the measure, which many tea party activists see as federal government overreaching into private affairs.
The bill required a two-thirds vote to pass but fell seven votes short. Now, the White House and congressional leaders must devise a new strategy, and fast, or the provisions will lapse Feb. 28. The administration wants to extend the Sept. 11-era provisions through 2013. The House bill would have extended them until Dec. 8.
"I am disappointed in the outcome of tonight's vote," said Rep. F. James Sensenbrenner Jr. (R-Wis.), author of the original act. "We are now under a time crunch."
With two federal holidays and an accompanying congressional recess, February is a short month for lawmakers. Just seven working days remain, Sensenbrenner said.
The expiring provisions include one giving federal investigators access to a suspect's personal materials — including library records — with a judge's approval. Another enables the government, with a court order, to conduct roving wiretaps of terrorism suspects as they change phones or locations. A third enables authorities to conduct surveillance on foreign terrorism suspects who do not appear to be affiliated with known groups — the "lone wolf" provision.
Supporters say the provisions have thwarted countless acts of terrorism and cannot be allowed to expire.
Read more: http://www.thegic.org/profiles/blogs/patriot-act-renewals-fail-to#ixzz1DTRfHZer
