Seattle Mayor Attempts To Block Whole Foods Over Supposed Low Wages

By William Teach July 24, 2013 – 3:08 pm

This is not quite as bad as the Washington, D.C. council voting to enact a “living wage” requirement for certain companies who want to expand into D.C., which was targeted at Wal-Mart specifically, a clear violation of the law requiring equal treatment under the law, which also meant that Wal-Mart will not build multiple stores which would have provided lots and lots of jobs for D.C. residents. Now we go to Seattle (via Grist)

(Seattle Times) Mayor Mike McGinn is going where no mayor has gone before, saying he won’t support a Whole Foods development in West Seattle unless the company raises the wages of its workers. (snip)

But the reason McGinn gave for coming out against the mixed-use development was unprecedented. It was that the anchor tenant for the complex, Whole Foods, doesn’t pay its workers enough.

“I’m setting a new standard here, that we are going to look at the wages they pay, and benefits, when a company wants to develop with land that involves public property,” McGinn told me in an interview. (snip)

McGinn contended in a letter that the nonunion Whole Foods pays “significantly lower” wages and benefits than other grocery stores, including some already in West Seattle. So the idea of allowing Whole Foods to go in there violates the city’s social and economic justice goals.

Ah, there we go, it’s non-union, and McGinn has a burr up his bumm, wanting to flex his supposed power ahead of the elections. But, why would the mayor have anything to say as to whether a company opens a store in their city, especially in terms of “social and economic justice” goals? Is this not America? Is there no longer freedom? Are elected government officials now dictators who attempt to force their will? Whole Foods states that they pay their non-management employees an average of $16 an hour. Whole Foods is one of Fortune’s Top 100 places to work. Oh, and they already have 6 stores in the Seattle area.

Do they have to run their payrolls past the mayor?

Why … yes. At least Whole Foods ought to, McGinn said.

“If Whole Foods wants to open up their books and prove to us that they provide equal pay and benefits to the other grocery stores, then that’s something we would definitely consider,” McGinn said.

Otherwise, he won’t give his backing unless…why does Whole Foods need his backing? They should say “screw you” and go ahead and build the store. McGinn has no right to look at their books. I think we can all infer that this fight is because Whole Foods is not unionized, and remember that CEO John Mackay has condemned ObamaCare multiple times, including calling it fascistic, going all the way back to 2009. He’s also no fan of Big Government, ie, the type of Progressive government in Seattle. And, he seems to be doing something right considering the growth of Whole Foods and its ranking as a great place to work.

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If All You See…

By William Teach July 24, 2013 – 1:00 pm

…is an evil CO2 infused bottle of beer, you might just be a Warmist

The blog of the day is Just One Minute, with a post on analogy fail and racial heuristics.

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NC General Assembly Passes Smart, Real World Gun Legislation

By William Teach July 24, 2013 – 10:55 am

This is not “common sense” reform, ie, massive restrictions on the 2nd Amendment Rights of law abiding citizens, but real world reforms that make sense. And will surely piss off Liberals who hate the notion of Other People owning guns

(WRAL) The state House and Senate have approved a sweeping package of gun lawsthat tighten penalties for those who violate firearm laws and expand where those with concealed handgun permits can carry their weapons.

The bill now goes to Gov. Pat McCrory for his signature or veto. (snip)

The compromise passed by by both chambers Tuesday keeps the current handgun permit system in place but give local sheriffs less latitude in issuing the permits. Sheriffs will no longer be able restrict the number of handgun permits an individual can obtain in a year, something that some sheriffs do now. Also, sheriffs will have to keep a record and show cause when they reject a handgun permit application.(snip)

Other parts of the bill will allow concealed handgun permit holders to bring their weapons to bars and restaurants that serve alcohol – although they are not supposed to consume alcohol – carry them in funeral processions and allow them to keep firearms locked in their car when parked on college or public school campuses.

The bill also removes information regarding those who hold concealed handgun permits from public view.

The bill also strengthens penalties for those who violate firearms laws and will increase the amount of information, such as mental health problems, in the state’s background check system.

There are many other provisions in the bill expanding the Rights of The People to legally carry guns, particularly handguns, while cracking down on those who are Bad People. Private businesses will still be allowed to ban concealed carry if they choose.

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Newest Obama Admin Scandal: His DHS Nominee Under Investigation For Visa Fraud

By William Teach July 24, 2013 – 8:20 am

Who’s up for yet another scandal? And we aren’t talking about credit card fraud, but using the resources of the US government fraudulently

(Fox News) Authorities are investigating the man President Obama tapped to take over the second highest spot at the Department of Homeland Security for allegedly using his position and power to unfairly obtain U.S. visas for foreign investors in a company run by Hillary Clinton’s brother, FoxNews.com has confirmed.

Alejandro Mayorkas, director of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, was named by Homeland Security’s Inspector General’s Office as a target in an investigation involving the foreign investor program run by USCIS, according to an email sent to lawmakers late Monday.

The investigation was opened in September 2012 following a referral from an FBI counterintelligence analyst. The probe was first reported by The Associated Press.

The investigation into Mayorkas is based on allegations he helped secure U.S. visas for Chinese businessmen after they had been denied by his own agency’s officials. The visas had been sought by Gulf Coast Funds Management, a financing company headed by then-Secretary of State Clinton’s brother Anthony Rodham, according to an aide to GOP Sen. Charles Grassley, who had received internal USCIS emails about the matter from a department whistle blower.

So far they haven’t found any signs of criminal wrongdoing, but the investigation is still open and on-going. Also, the complaint notes that others in the USCIS Office of General Counsel obstructed an investigation by the SEC of the Visa program.

White House press secretary Jay Carney referred questions to the inspector general’s office, which said that the probe is in its preliminary stage and that it doesn’t comment on the specifics of investigations.

No, Obama only chimes in on open investigations into George Zimmerman.

If Mayorkas is confirmed, he will be in charge of DHS till Obama has a replacement, which could be a long time coming, since he will surely nominate someone who is so far outside the mainstream that they’ll be blocked in the Senate.

But, let’s be clear: this is not something to be blamed on Obama directly, but more in terms of one of the vast problems with Big Government, in which employees use their power and influence for political and personal benefit. But, Obama did pick Mayorkas to be the second ranking officer in DHS.

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What To Watch For In Today’s “Economic” Speech By Obama

By William Teach July 24, 2013 – 8:00 am

Today begins yet another pivot to the economy by Community Organizer in Chief Obama, whose previous pivots have worked so well. Does anyone remember the one back in May? Where’d that go? Anyhow, consider this comment by Victor Davis Hanson, made it terms of Obama’s race comment

The president, I think, spoke out for three reasons: 1) He is an unbound,  lame-duck president, with a ruined agenda, facing mounting ethical scandals; from now on, he will say things more consonant with being a community organizer than with being a nation’s president; 2) he knows the federal civil-rights case has little merit and cannot be pursued, and thus wanted to shore up his bona fides with an aggrieved black community; and 3) as with the ginned-up “assault-weapons ban” and the claim that Republicans are waging a “war on women,” Obama knows, as a community activist, that tension can mask culpability — in his case, the utter failure to address soaring unemployment in the inner city, epidemic black murder rates, the bankruptcy of Detroit, and the ways his failed economic policies disproportionately affect inner-city youth.

Expect today’s speech, and any followups (I suspect this economic push will, at best, survive till his August vacation, but probably only till the end of July) to be heavy on community organizing, blamestorming, pushing his bona fides with Progressives, and ginning up division. Heck, even Ben White at the Politico notices much of this in his 5 things to watch article

How hard will he go after Republicans on the debt ceiling and government funding?

One argument for why Obama is doing this speech now: He’s laying down an early marker as the sane voice ahead of potentially bruising fights over bills to fund the government after Oct. 1 and to raise the debt ceiling sometime in November or later.

So, blamestorming and ginning up division yet again, provided he does this. The Vegas odds are 1-1 based on 5 years of being (NM) president, which, as Ben White notes, creates even more antipathy amongst Republicans, guaranteeing they do not want to work with Obama.

How bullish will he be on the economy?

Any speech the president gives about this frustrating economy runs the risk of sounding like cheerleading a recovery that most average Americans are barely feeling.

Remember all the times he’s declared victory on the economy? Recovery Summer, anyone? Remember all the pivots? Remember $838 billion wasted on his failed Stimulus? And all the other stimulus plans? How about all those who have given up on the jobs market in despair? Add your own “how about”, because we’ve seen the creeping malaise of the Obama economy for 5 years. Unlike Mr. White, I don’t expect Obama to note the stagnant wages and poor jobs market, except possible in terms of Blaming Others, especially Republicans.

How will he make the case for his economic legacy?

Another rationale behind the speech is to lay down a stronger narrative arc for the president’s stewardship of the economy, an area in which voters have often questioned his abilities.

Will he do this? It certainly wouldn’t be out of character to make this All About Obama. He spent his first term Blaming Bush, but he got his second term, and this is all on Obama. This is his economy. He can’t rationally sit there and Blame Bush and Republicans while taking credit for the few good things that happen.

Will he offer specific new proposals?

Messages out of the White House on this have been mixed.

In reality, most are expecting very little from this speech in terms of actual policy, particularly new policy. It will surely be a re-hash of all the things that have so far not worked. We’ll probably hear something about growing the economy from the dying middle class out, not top down, because we all know that it’s the middle class with all the money. Of course, even now the middle class is seeing more and more people on food stamps and other government assistance thanks to the Malaise Economy Of Obama.

What role will immigration and health care play in the speech?

One big question about the current jobs and economy tour is why Obama is doing it rather than continuing to push hard on the top current agenda items: implementing health care reform and getting a comprehensive immigration reform bill through the House.

Now that is a damned good question. Will PBO make this economic speech about the two issues? Will they be the real reason behind this push? Or is Obama simply trying to give yet another speech in an attempt to switch the focus from all his scandals and incompetence? Really, unless he has some new ideas on the economy, there is little point to Mr. Lame Duck giving a “major policy speech”. Yet, he will. But, then, Obama has always thought that all that needs to be done is to give a speech and the world changes.

Crossed at Right Wing News and Stop The ACLU.

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Liberals Shriek Over NC Commonsense Voter Regulations

By William Teach July 23, 2013 – 2:22 pm

The NC Senate has proposed a few simple voting changes

Senate Republican leaders are planning to take a voter ID bill and add provisions that cut early voting by a week, repeal same-day registration, allow counties to limit Sunday voting, end pre-registration of 16- and 17-year-olds and end straight-ticket voting.

Other provisions increase the maximum donation to political candidates from $4,000 to $5,000, with future increases indexed to inflation, and limit disclosure of money spent by outside political groups that air political TV ads and send mass mailings.

It differs a big from what the House is thinking, such restricting the use of college IDs to vote (Senate against, House for). These are simply a few common sense regulations to avoid voter fraud, so, of course the liberal harpies are shrieking, and they all have the same talking point: voter suppression. 4 of those 5 links say it in their headlines.

This is all interesting, because these same loons want massive restrictions on our 2nd Amendment rights, to the point of banning private ownership of guns. Buy any basic checks on voting? Moonbat Level 11.

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If All You See…

By William Teach July 23, 2013 – 1:00 pm

…is an evil cat sucking up Earth’s resources causing heat induced snow storms, you might just be a Warmist

The blog of the day is Maggie’s Notebook, with a post on some wonderful illegal aliens.

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Warmists Now Pinpoint Ice Free Arctic 40 Years From Now

By William Teach July 23, 2013 – 11:41 am

How many times have Warmists prognosticated that the Arctic would be ice free? We’ve seen “by the end of the century”, by 2008, by 2040, 2012, 2010-2015. And, remember, we have all the folks predicting that 2013 would be ice free. Not working out too well. Especially for the Sierra Club, which predicted the sea ice would be gone this year just a few months ago. And now we get

People have been warning about an ice-free Arctic oceanfor years. But Jiping Liu, an atmospheric scientist at the State University of New York in Albany in the US and colleagues have gone one better.

They predict that the Arctic Ocean will be effectively free of ice for the first time in the month of September between 2054 and 2058.

Once again, the prediction depends on climate models, and inevitably on the decisions governments take to control greenhouse gas emissions in the next decade. But the fact that a team of scientists can spread their bets over a span of four specific years is an indicator of how fast and how inexorable the Arctic melting has become.

In other words, a (supposedly) scary prediction predicated on Someone Else Doing Something to stop it.

And if they’re depending on “climate models” done on computers, well, they’re bound to fail.

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Obamacare Desperation: Meeting With Celebs Who’ll Never Use It To Push It

By William Teach July 23, 2013 – 8:19 am

And then Hollywood and other entertainment will be surprised when their shows tank because people come to be entertained, not bombarded with political propaganda

(CNN) President Barack Obama, hoping to pitch his signature health care law to younger Americans, will get some help from a cadre of Hollywood stars who have volunteered to help promote Obamacare’s insurance exchanges that open on October 1.

One has to wonder why he and others have to “pitch” it at all. Isn’t it “The Law”? The young folks, who mostly voted “Obama”, have no choice but to either enroll or pay a fine/tax.

At a meeting at the White House Monday, a group that included singer Jennifer Hudson and actors Kal Penn and Amy Poehler heard Obama extol the benefits his health care law offers young people, whose participation in the exchanges is seen as essential for their long-term viability.

“The President stopped by the meeting to engage artists who expressed an interest in helping to educate the public about the benefits of the health law,” a White House official said. “The reach of these national stars spreads beyond the beltway to fans of their television shows, movies, and music – and the power of these artists to speak through social media is especially critical.”

The meeting, which was led by Obama’s senior adviser Valerie Jarrett, also included representatives for Oprah Winfrey, Alicia Keys, Bon Jovi, YouTube Comedy, Funny or Die and the organizations that put on the annual Grammy and Latin Grammy awards.

Does anyone think that any of these people will actually sign up in the Exchanges themselves? Or do they have their own Cadillac plans?

And when they start pushing O-care people will tune out. The movies and shows with specific liberal politics tend to bomb. No one wants to be patronized, especially by celebs who’ll never enroll in O-care and will do all they can to avoid that “Cadillac tax” on their own high end health insurance plans. If they push this in TV shows, movies, YouTube, you can bet people will avoid those forms of entertainment, particularly since over 50% of the nation is still dead set against Obamacare.

Same goes for the NFL and NBA, along with any other sports, if they decide to push O-care.

Read: Obamacare Desperation: Meeting With Celebs Who’ll Never Use It To Push It »

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Pelosi: We Need To Uphold The Constitution By Enacting Gun Control

By William Teach July 23, 2013 – 7:55 am

Not many people will argue that a few basic, common sense regulations regarding firearms is a Bad Idea. Surely we would like to keep them out of the hands of criminals, gang bangers, and others who would look to use them in a Bad Way. Surely we would like to keep people like, say, Eric Holder, from running them across the border into Mexico. Anyhow, here’s Nancy Pelosi, who happens to have armed security personnel protecting her, something she would prefer you not have, nor your own gun protecting yourself

(CNS News) Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D – Calif.) cited her oath to “protect and defend” the U.S. Constitution as the reason Congress should enact harsher gun control measures.

In a press release marking the one-year anniversary of the Aurora, Colorado shootings, the former Speaker of the House said: “In Congress, there can be no more fitting memorial to the lives lost in Aurora, in Newtown, and across the country than a concerted effort to enact commonsense gun safety legislation.

“We must uphold our oath to ‘protect and defend’ the constitution and all Americans by expanding background checks and keeping dangerous firearms out of the wrong hands.”

One problem is in defining “wrong hands”. The 2nd Amendment does not allow the government to restrict the right of a citizen to own a gun, but, again, I think we can agree that criminals shouldn’t have them, people with serious mental issues…which would leave most Democrats out of the mix…look, I just defined “wrong hands”. Think the Democrats won’t do the same with legislation, regulation, and other methods?

“We must restore confidence in the safety of our homes, schools, movie theaters, and neighborhoods by taking clear, concrete steps to prevent gun violence,” Pelosi added.

And apparently the best way to stop violence is to restrict law abiding citizens from owning and carrying guns. Because, as we all know, criminals follow the law and would never bring guns to schools, homes, and movie theaters.

I wonder if Barack knows that Nancy thinks she’s president?

The phrase “to protect and defend the Constitution” that Pelosi cited as the reason Congress must enact stricter gun control laws is not found in the oath that members of Congress take, but in the Presidential Oath of Office instead.

Aren’t you thrilled that Nancy doesn’t know her own Oath of office? Hers says “support and defend” the Constitution, but, like most legislation she votes for, she probably has not read it.

Crossed at Right Wing News and Stop The ACLU.

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