Why did thousands of working nurses and supporters converge on scores of Congressional offices from Maine to California last week? How is it that nurses working long shifts at demanding jobs took time away from rest and family to appear before their representatives? More »
In honor of the latest dreary news that exactly zero net jobs were created in August, the corporate CEOs who ship our jobs overseas, and the budget cutters in Washington whose priorities lie elsewhere, let’s just rechristen the September holiday “Un-Labor” Day. More »
In a week that recorded no new jobs being created in the U.S. for the entire month of August, and many people struggling with what to do about it, nurses around the U.S. sent an entirely different message -- get out in the streets and demand change. On Thursday, thousands of nurses, joined by other labor and community supporters, went to the doorsteps of 60 members of Congress in 21 states across the U.S. More »
By: Donna Smith. Main Street, USA – Nurses call their neighbors and their elected officials to come to Main Street on September 1, even as many of the elected officials continue chiding one another about returning to DC. More »
For years, Americans believed if we worked hard, took care of our families, and followed the rules that we would eventually be allowed to retire with dignity. That’s not the case anymore. More »
For some time now, my disabled and retired machinist husband has watched with amusement when stock markets crash and rebound and broad financial indicators stutter and stammer. He has lived a lifetime of economic stress and difficulty and never once has he seen his personal wealth or lack thereof be of any great concern for those who trade and win and lose large sums of money in our world. More »
The headlines came quickly after President Obama concluded the deficit-debt deal with the Republicans Sunday evening. There were few shades of gray. The New York Times editorial was titled "To Escape Chaos, a Terrible Deal: Democrats won almost nothing they wanted except avoiding default." More »
Legislating while under the influence of ideological inebriation is not yet a statutory offense. It is only a multi-directional menace to much of what anxious Americans hold dear for themselves and their children. The dominant Republicans in Congress – both the new and many of the longer-term incumbents – are in heat. More »
Michael Moore is hosting his film festival in Michigan this week, and I sure hope they are showing “Gaslight” from 1944. The American electorate would be wise to watch it again and to put into context the messages of our elected officials as they work us to do their bidding on the debt deal and beyond. There are acting awards to be given in the latest turn of events – the President and the Speaker of the House might vie for best actor’s honors while the Senate Majority Leader and Tea Party darling Eric Cantor would surely compete for best supporting actors among a plethora of worthy players. More »
RNs across the U.S. are calling on Wall Street to pay for the damage they caused on Main Street. Our communities need healthcare, jobs, education, housing. More »
By NNU Organizer Donna Smith — When push comes to shove everybody gets their political cover moments in Washington, DC. Everybody, that is, except the average working class American. More »
Five Supreme Court Justices--Scalia, Thomas, Roberts, Alito and Kennedy are entrenching, in a whirlwind of judicial dictates, judicial legislating and sheer ideological judgments, a mega-corporate supremacy over the rights and remedies of individuals. More »
It has been a challenging week for many people. While our elected officials have been broadly reported to be at odds about exactly how to raise the debt ceiling or not, millions of Americans have no work, are running out of ways to keep their homes – rented or owned, and struggle even to keep the basic necessities for themselves and their families. More »
...when a recent report came out about insurance companies buying up physician groups and providers in increasing numbers, I wasn’t very surprised. More »
While many – far too many – politicians in Washington are fixated on making cuts in our most vital programs that protect American families while refusing to demand those who created our economic freefall pay up to help rebuild this nation, at least some have a broader vision. More »
I am just one of so many. I am working and nearing retirement age. My son has had jobs since he was 15 and actually likes to work but his full-time job currently is "applying and interviewing for jobs." More »
The first nationally televised debate (C-SPAN) on the subject of mandatory voting, or voting duty, occurred in Washington D.C. on June 27, 2011. Why did it take so long? Because discussing this topic has been a taboo in electoral, legislative and main media arenas. More »
More than a thousand RNs and other activists marched on Wall Street Wednesday, chanting “Wall Street got bailed out! We got sold out!” More »
NNOC-Texas nurses filed a claim against Valley Baptist Medical Center in Harlingen and Brownsville, Texas for lost overtime wages due to working through their meal breaks. More »
From Maine to California, nurses have launched a campaign for a new direction for America to reverse the disastrous course of policies that demand ever more hardship for Main Street, while giving more tax breaks and special favors to Wall Street. More »
