Last March, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) filed a complaint against Boeing for its decision to set up a non-unionized production line in South Carolina. The complaint alleges that Boeing is locating a second production line in that state to retaliate against striking union workers in Washington State.

Since 1989, there have been four strikes at Boeing’s Washington facility. The last strike lasted eight weeks and cost the firm $2 billion.

In 2009, Boeing invested $1 billion in a new factory in South Carolina, a right-to-work state, and hired 1,000 local workers. Had Boeing then laid off 1,000 workers in Washington State, the NLRB might have had a case.

However, Boeing actually increased its Washington workforce by 2,000.

It is perfectly reasonable for Boeing to install a second line in South Carolina to hedge against the uncertainty associated with unionized labor.

That is not retaliation- it is simply smart business.

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Today, in 1940, Winston Churchill delivered his “We Shall Never Surrender” speech.

Many civil rights groups around the nation have strongly supported school choice initiatives, mainly out of concern for inner-city children who have traditionally been stuck in sub-par schools.

Civil rights leaders understand that education is the key to escaping the cycle of poverty that’s prevalent in many inner-city neighborhoods. Kids trapped in poorly run, dangerous schools often don’t receive the instruction required to move on to  college or a decent job.

Those children need quality options like charter schools, or government vouchers to pay tuition at private schools, if they are going to have a chance to succeed. Most civil rights leaders understand that concept and want to help children seek quality education beyond their geographic school district boundaries.

So why isn’t the NAACP on board?

That organization has joined New York City’s United Federation of Teachers in filing a lawsuit that would prevent the closure of approximately two dozen failing schools, prevent several dozen charter schools from sharing space in public school buildings, and prevent the opening of at least two new charter schools.

In other words, the NAACP is suing to keep a lot of black kids trapped in really bad schools, with no options for escape.

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The protests in Wisconsin are heating up again and this time the mob is even angrier than before.

Thursday night at the Joint Finance Committee meeting in Madison, law enforcement removed around 30 protesters who repeatedly interrupted the budget-writing panel’s proceedings. The chaos started when an elected member of the  Milwaukee Public Schools board and former University of Wisconsin regent ran up to the committee and began making speeches.

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The claim by Rep. Anthony Weiner that his Twitter account was “hacked” raises serious concerns on the security of the computer systems and smart phones used by members of Congress. If elected officials are subject to hacking, then how secure are systems in the federal government, especially in the security agencies?

There is an obligation for Rep. Weiner to enable the delineation of what happened and how it happened so that we can enhance our cyber security. At the very least, he should have informed the House Information Resources division of this breach for investigation.

We need to recognize the seriousness of online crimes. Identity theft is the fastest growing type of fraud in our nation, and the Federal Trade Commission estimates that identity theft costs consumers $50 billion a year. Yet, this goes far beyond a crime against consumers.

Our nation is reliant upon a digital infrastructure that supports our economy, national security, and public safety. It is clear that this digital infrastructure is not completely secure.

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The White House has a new report out touting the “resurgence” of the automotive industry, primarily aimed at depicting President Obama’s auto bailout as an unqualified success.

One thing that springs out of the report are claims it makes as to job creation within the industry as compared to job losses projected by the White House and sustained prior to the bailout.  The report states that:

Since GM and Chrysler emerged from bankruptcy, the auto industry has created 115,000 jobs, its strongest period of job growth since the late 1990s.

And:

It was the interdependence between the auto companies and suppliers, dealers and communities that led some experts at the time to estimate that were GM and Chrysler allowed to liquidate, at least 1 million jobs could have been lost.

And:

In the year before President Obama took office, the industry shed over 400,000 jobs.

This is interesting, some observers say, in view of action the Obama administration is currently contemplating that would impact the auto industry, potentially very adversely: Vastly increasing Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards for model years 2017-2025.

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Anthony Weiner’s media blitz on June 1st did nothing to help his case. If you’re following WeinerGate, as it’s being called, you know everyone is scratching their heads wondering what the Congressman was thinking.

Late yesterday, the highly respected credit rating firm, Moody’s Investor Services, officially warned that if there is no imminent progress in Congress on the debt ceiling fight, the United States of America’s Aaa credit rating would be cut. Understanding that such a draconian event as a U.S. credit downgrade would infuriate voters; it should not come as any surprise that the media was distracted today over news that the Manhattan Attorney’s office happened to issue a criminal subpoena to Goldman Sachs for insider trading and securities fraud earlier this morning.

Goldman Sachs is the perfect scapegoat to blame for America’s credit woes. The firm is the largest investment bank in the world and its history of ethics violations are legendary. Goldman agreed to pay $550 million to settle Federal claims that it misled investors in a subprime mortgage product just as the housing market began to collapse. Essentially the company recommended to its individual, hedge fund, bank, and money manager clients that they make investments in sub-prime mortgages loans Goldman Sachs was betting were already failing. The settlement was among the largest in the 76-year history of the Securities and Exchange Commission, but it represented only a small financial hiccup for Goldman, which reported a profit of $13.39 billion for 2009, the worst period of the credit crisis.

Goldman Sachs has shown its appreciation to each of America’s political parties by donating handsomely to their elections success.

As a show of appreciation, U.S. taxpayers have been very good to Goldman Sachs.

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Based on this morning’s numbers, I’ve updated my chart showing what the Obama Administration said would happen with the so-called stimulus compared to what actually has happened. As you can see, the unemployment rate is about 2.5 percentage points higher than the White House claimed it would be at this point.

Since I just did an I-told-you-so post about Greece, I may as well pat myself on the back again (albeit for another completely obvious prediction). Here’s the video I narrated a couple of years ago on the Obama faux stimulus.

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From the UK’s Daily Mail:

Brussels is pouring nearly £20million a year from its human rights budget on lecturing the Americans on left-wing causes.

The EU Human Rights Fund is intended to help promote Western values in the developing world. But a shock report has found at least £17million of cash – around £2million from British taxpayers’ – has been ploughed into promoting the pet causes of Eurocrats in the U.S.

It is being spent on promoting abolition of the death penalty, discussion of climate change, green energy, and the International Criminal Court – all controversial subjects in the U.S.

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On today’s edition of Coffee and Markets, Brad Jackson and Ben Domenech are joined by Francis Cianfrocca to discuss the worsening job market, the stagnant economy and the effect it may have on Obama’s reelection in 2012.

We’re brought to you as always by BigGovernment and Stephen Clouse and Associates. If you’d like to email us, you can do so at coffee[at]newledger.com. We hope you enjoy the show.

Related Links:

May 2011 Employment Statistics from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Paltry New Job Growth of 54,000 Sends Rate to 9.1%
‘Double-Dip’ in Housing Prices Even Worse Than Expected
US Manufacturing Growth Slowest Since Sept 2009
On the Maddeningly Inexact Relationship Between Unemployment and Re-Election
Boneheaded Stimulus Never Works

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From The Associated Press:

A federal grand jury indicted two-time presidential candidate John Edwards on Friday over $925,000 spent to keep his mistress and their baby in hiding during the peak of his 2008 campaign for the White House.

The case of USA v. Johnny Reid Edwards contains six counts, including conspiracy, four counts of illegal campaign contributions and one count of false statements.

The indictment said the payments were a scheme to protect Edwards’ White House ambitions. “A centerpiece of Edwards’ candidacy was his public image as a devoted family man,” the indictment said.

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From Tommy Christopher in Mediaite:

Then, on Thursday, a blogger at DailyKos published a diary rife with wild speculation, and unfounded insinuations, including an unredacted version of Veronica’s Direct Messages to @Goatsred, which also contains Betty’s name. This is the problem with new media, an ignorance, or contempt, or simple disregard, for established journalistic practices. Redacting the names would have no effect on the item’s news value, and the message states they are high school girls, but the blogger either didn’t notice, or didn’t care.

When the girls’ parents became aware of this, they were very distressed, fearing for their children’s safety and privacy. I assured them that I would contact the blog’s proprietor, Markos Moulitsas (a father himself), and he would surely take it down, or redact their names.

The reality, though, was quite another story. When I contacted Moulitsas, he refused to call me, insisting upon email, which greatly hampered the amount of detail I could give him. The result was that he refused to redact their names, or make any changes, but the actual emails demonstrate a reprehensible lack of compassion or responsibility: (Warning: There is some very strong language)

VERY Urgent you call me! One of your bloggers is compromising identities of two minors

date Thu, Jun 2, 2011 at 9:22 PM
subject VERY Urgent you call me! One of your bloggers is compromising identities of two minors

They are sources of mine, and scared shitless, please call me. xxx-xxx-xxxx

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Roger Simon in today’s Politco:

And now, Anthony Weiner says he is going to hire a private firm to find out how his Twitter account was hacked, although Weiner could easily go to the U.S. Capitol Police or the FBI and ask them to do it.

Asked repeatedly why he refuses to do so, Weiner replies that the whole matter is a “prank” and not “a federal case.”

The sound you continue to hear is the clanging of bells.

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To the men and women who inspired this post. May your victories be triumphant and your defeats devastating.

The established academic definition of the word Politics was put forth by Harold Dwight Lasswell. Laswell was a 20th Century political scientist and he defined politics as a struggle for power that ultimately decided “Who Gets What, When, How.” That is a serviceable meaning that gives understanding to the word in its academic form. Yet, somehow I doubt that is what turns people on to politics. In fact, if it were so, if that were the story, many would fail to pay attention. “Who Gets What, When, How” is decided in chambers and behind doors. Politics is a spectator’s sport made for the open field. Power to decide is only the final ends to a much bigger and fascinating story that is routinely played out. Mr. Lasswell’s and those like him missed it altogether. Scientifically sterile, they rushed for a diagnosis and never even glanced at the patient. Lasswell’s dictum severs the story from its true source.

Politics it is just that: A story. Politics is a human story. It is about people — their ambitions, desires, visions, personalities, strengths, weaknesses, triumphs and vulnerabilities. Since it is a contest of the strong willed and the dynamic kind, naturally only the ambitious enter this arena. It is not made for the timid and even its most accomplished contestants will emerge with scars. That is why some unlikely friendships have emerged from inside politics. They see their lot as a fraternity. They hold a sort of boxer’s respect for one another. And rightly so, it takes a person with a unique constitution to compete in such a personal fashion. They are gladiators for our amusement and entertainment. They live to enter that arena, not government. Government is a job. Politics is a behavior. Government is boring. Politics is anything but boring.

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In a labor law system created by the National Labor Relations Act and overseen by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), hardworking employees are typically the pawns in battles between Big Labor and management. It is rare when the livelihoods of individual employees are even considered by the NLRB, and its recent action of attempting to close Boeing’s South Carolina expansion is no exception to the harm that the NLRB has been known to cause employees.

But, three people have stood up to the NLRB and demanded to be heard by the NLRB with regard to its wrongheaded actions against Boeing’s South Carolina workers. Dennis Murray, Cynthia Ramaker and Meredith Going, Sr. with the legal assistance of the National Right To Work Legal Defense Foundation (Foundation) have filed as interveners in the NLRB’s Boeing case. (click here to download their motion).

Finally, as with the Chris Mosquera v. Labor Secretary Hilda Solis, individual Americans tired of waiting for others have begun to grasp for liberty in attempt pull it back from the clutches of President Obama’s Big Labor controlled Administration.

Will there be more legal challenges to this Administration’s assaults on individual liberty and worker rights? You betcha.

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This week, Rep. Anthony Weiner has provided an important public service; a case study in how not to handle a scandal.

On May 31, 2011 the US House responded to the President’s request to increase the statutory limit on the public debt with a resounding NO… to the tune of 318 to 97. Interestingly, unlike in recent years, 82 Democrats stood with the GOP majority this time around.

I had the honor of getting to ask Freshman Rep. Dan Benishek (R, MI-01) a couple quick questions about what happened just before that vote.

Our conversation follows:

An article in “The Hill” quoted you, from your floor speech prior to the vote, as saying “shame on you” when you addressed those that are ‘trying to scare America’s Seniors’ by suggesting the GOP wants to hurt them.

Click on image for YouTube clip

Q-What is the true reality facing all of us, including seniors, regarding the debt crisis and where Medicare (and the larger American entitlement system) fits into that bigger picture?

Congresman Benishek: The reality is we have to act now. We can’t afford to wait until our country is bankrupt. People in Northern Michigan, and the rest of the country, understand you can’t spend money you don’t have. What we have to do is decide the smartest way to reform our spending programs so they are sustainable. I believe the way to do that is keep our promise to seniors and not make any changes to Medicare for those at or near retirement. But I think we can agree that we need serious reforms in order to ensure Medicare is available for our children and grandchildren.

Q-Do you believe the Democrat message…the smoke screen you referred to in your speech… has been effective? And why/how?

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