On Oct 26, 2009, at 10:37 PM, SA wrote:
>
>> Polls, letters to Congress, etx. will never get legislation or other
>> government action which is opposed by any significan money intersts.
>>
>
> This was literally the first thing that popped into my mind. (Note
> especially the grafs in the NYT article that I marked with
> ***asterisks.)....
>
> SA
>
> ---
>
> http://www.ehow.com/how-does_4910771_family-medical-leave-act-originate.html
>
> How Did the Family Medical Leave Act Originate?
>
A truly excellent example of "falling upward." In 1993 a laughably
inadequate bill offering unpaid "family/medical leave" to workers
(indeed including some who could afford to take unpaid leave). But
not to worry--we were about to "fall upward" into real family/medical/
maternity leave, paid leave for the time needed.
And now, sixteen years later?
>
> Because FMLA is so popular, the Chamber of Commerce isn't asking
> Congress to amend the law; instead, the chamber is lobbying the
> Labor Department to weaken the regulations implementing it.
>
> Prompted by business groups, the Senate Committee on Health,
> Education, Labor and Pensions held a hearing in June to persuade
> Labor Secretary Elaine Chao to give in to the corporate demands...if
> Labor Secretary Chao weakens the
> regulations, she will arouse the ire of tens of millions of working
> parents, many of whom probably support President Bush because of his
> "pro-family" rhetoric.
>
> Let's hope Chao lives up to that family-friendly rhetoric, instead
> of caving in to the administration's big business campaign
> contributors.
Where is the falling headed, again?
Shane Mage
> This cosmos did none of gods or men make, but it
> always was and is and shall be: an everlasting fire,
> kindling in measures and going out in measures."
>
> Herakleitos of Ephesos